EX-4.1 2 d257540dex41.htm SENIOR INDENTURE Senior Indenture

Exhibit 4.1

EXECUTION VERSION

 

 

 

MIZUHO FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.

as the Company

and

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

as the Trustee

SENIOR INDENTURE

Dated as of September 13, 2016

 

 

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page  
ARTICLE 1   
DEFINITIONS   

Section 1.01.  

  Certain Terms Defined      1   
ARTICLE 2   
SECURITIES   

Section 2.01.  

  Forms Generally      6   

Section 2.02.  

  Form of Trustee’s Certification of Authentication      6   

Section 2.03.  

  Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series      7   

Section 2.04.  

  Authentication and Delivery of Securities      10   

Section 2.05.  

  Execution of Securities      10   

Section 2.06.  

  Certificate of Authentication      11   

Section 2.07.  

  Form, Denomination and Date of Securities; Payments of Interest      11   

Section 2.08.  

  Registration, Transfer and Exchange of Securities      12   

Section 2.09.  

  Mutilated, Defaced, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities      14   

Section 2.10.  

  Cancellation of Securities      14   

Section 2.11.  

  Temporary Securities      15   

Section 2.12.  

  Japanese Withholding Tax      15   

Section 2.13.  

  CUSIP, ISIN Numbers and Common Codes      16   
ARTICLE 3   
COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY   

Section 3.01.  

  Payment of Principal and Interest      16   

Section 3.02.  

  Offices for Payments, etc.      17   

Section 3.03.  

  Appointment to Fill a Vacancy in Office of Trustee      17   

Section 3.04.  

  Paying Agents      17   

Section 3.05.  

  Additional Amounts      18   

Section 3.06.  

  Certificate of the Company      21   

Section 3.07.  

  Securityholders Lists      21   

Section 3.08.  

  Statement by Officers as to Default      21   

Section 3.09.  

  Reports by the Company      21   

Section 3.10.  

  Notices to Holders      22   
ARTICLE 4   
REMEDIES OF THE TRUSTEE AND SECURITYHOLDERS ON EVENT OF DEFAULT   

Section 4.01.  

  Event of Default, Acceleration of Maturity, Waiver of Default      22   

Section 4.02.  

  Collection of Indebtedness by Trustee; Trustee May File Proof of Claim      24   

Section 4.03.  

  Application of Proceeds      26   

Section 4.04.  

  Suits for Enforcement      27   

Section 4.05.  

  Restoration of Rights on Abandonment of Proceeding      27   

 

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Section 4.06.  

  Limitations on Suits by Securityholders      27   

Section 4.07.  

  Unconditional Right of Securityholders to Institute Certain Suits      28   

Section 4.08.  

  Powers and Remedies Cumulative; Delay or Omission Not Waiver of Default      28   

Section 4.09.  

  Control by Securityholders      28   

Section 4.10.  

  Waiver of Past Defaults      29   

Section 4.11.  

  Trustee to Give Notice of Default      29   

Section 4.12.  

  Right of Court to Require Filing of Undertaking to Pay Costs      29   

Section 4.13.  

  Judgment Currency      30   

Section 4.14.  

  Limited Right of Set-Off      30   
ARTICLE 5   
CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE   

Section 5.01.  

  Duties and Responsibilities of the Trustee; During Default; Prior to Default      31   

Section 5.02.  

  Certain Rights of the Trustee      32   

Section 5.03.  

  Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals, Disposition of Securities or Application of Proceeds Thereof.      34   

Section 5.04.  

  Trustee and Agents May Hold Securities; Collections, etc.      34   

Section 5.05.  

  Moneys Held by Trustee      34   

Section 5.06.  

  Compensation and Indemnification of Trustee and its Prior Claim      35   

Section 5.07.  

  Right of Trustee to Rely on Officer’s Certificate, etc      36   

Section 5.08.  

  Persons Eligible for Appointment as Trustee      36   

Section 5.09.  

  Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor Trustee      36   

Section 5.10.  

  Acceptance of Appointment by Successor Trustee      37   

Section 5.11.  

  Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business of Trustee      39   

Section 5.12.  

  Conflicting Interests      39   

Section 5.13.  

  Appointment of Authenticating Agent      39   

Section 5.14.  

  Reports by the Trustee      41   
ARTICLE 6   
CONCERNING THE SECURITYHOLDERS   

Section 6.01.  

  Evidence of Action Taken by Securityholders      41   

Section 6.02.  

  Proof of Execution of Instruments and of Holding of Securities; Record Date      41   

Section 6.03.  

  Holders to be Treated as Owners      41   

Section 6.04.  

  Securities Owned by Company Deemed Not Outstanding      42   

Section 6.05.  

  Right of Revocation of Action Taken      42   
ARTICLE 7   
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES   

Section 7.01.  

  Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Securityholders      43   

Section 7.02.  

  Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Securityholders      44   

Section 7.03.  

  Effect of Supplemental Indenture      45   

Section 7.04.  

  Documents to be Given to Trustee      45   

Section 7.05.  

  Notation on Securities in Respect of Supplemental Indentures      46   

 

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Section 7.06.  

  Conformity with the Trust Indenture Act      46   
ARTICLE 8   
CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE OR CONVEYANCE   

Section 8.01.  

  Company May Consolidate, etc., on Certain Terms      46   

Section 8.02.  

  Successor Substituted      47   

Section 8.03.  

  Opinion of Counsel to Trustee      47   
ARTICLE 9   
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE; UNCLAIMED MONEYS   

Section 9.01.  

  Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture      47   

Section 9.02.  

  Application by Trustee of Funds Deposited for Payment of Securities      48   

Section 9.03.  

  Repayment of Moneys Held by Paying Agent      48   

Section 9.04.  

  Return of Moneys Held by Trustee and Paying Agent Unclaimed for Two Years      48   
ARTICLE 10   
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS   

Section 10.01.

  Incorporators, Stockholders, Officers and Directors of Company Exempt from Individual Liability      49   

Section 10.02.

  Provisions of Indenture for the Sole Benefit of Parties and Securityholders      49   

Section 10.03.

  Successors and Assigns of Company Bound by Indenture      49   

Section 10.04.

  Notices and Demands on Company, Trustee and Securityholders      49   

Section 10.05.

  Officer’s Certificates and Opinions of Counsel; Statements to be Contained Therein      50   

Section 10.06.

  Conflict of any Provision of Indenture with Trust Indenture Act      51   

Section 10.07.

  New York Law to Govern      51   

Section 10.08.

  Counterparts      51   

Section 10.09.

  Effect of Headings      51   

Section 10.10.

  Submission To Jurisdiction      51   

Section 10.11.

  Non-Business Day      52   

Section 10.12.

  Waiver of Jury Trial      52   

Section 10.13.

  Patriot Act      52   
ARTICLE 11   
REDEMPTION AND REPURCHASE OF SECURITIES   

Section 11.01.

  Applicability of Article      53   

Section 11.02.

  Optional Redemption Due to Changes in Tax Treatment      53   

Section 11.03.

  Notice of Redemption      53   

Section 11.04.

  Payment of Securities Called for Redemption      54   

Section 11.05.

  Exclusion of Certain Securities from Eligibility for Selection for Redemption      55   

Section 11.06.

  Repurchase of Securities      55   

 

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EXHIBITS       
Exhibit A         

Form of Fixed Rate Security

     A-1   
Exhibit B  

Form of Floating Rate Security

     B-1   
Exhibit C  

Form of Officer’s Certificate pursuant to Section 3.06

     C-1   

 

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CROSS REFERENCE SHEET

Cross-reference sheet of provisions of the Trust Indenture Act this indenture:

 

Section of the Act    Section of Indenture

310(a)(1) and (2)

   5.08

310(a)(3) and (4)

   Inapplicable

310(a)(5)

   Incorporated by Section 318(c)

310(b)

   5.09

311(a) and (b)

   Incorporated by Section 318(c)

312(a)

   3.07

312(b)

   Incorporated by Section 318(c)

312(c)

   Incorporated by Section 318(c)

313(a)

   5.14

313(b)(1)

   Inapplicable

313(b)(2)

   Incorporated by Section 318(c)

313(c)

   Incorporated by Section 318(c)

313(d)

   Incorporated by Section 318(c)

314(a)

   3.09

314(b)

   Inapplicable

314(c)(1) and (2)

   10.05

314(c)(3)

   Inapplicable

314(d)

   Inapplicable

314(e)

   10.05

315(a), (c) and (d)

   5.01

315(b)

   4.11

315(e)

   4.12

316(a)(1)

   4.09

316(a)(2)

   Inapplicable

316(b)

   4.07

316(c)

   Incorporated by Section 318(c)

317(a)

   4.02

317(b)

   3.04

318(a)

   10.06

Notes:

This cross-reference sheet shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be a part of this Indenture.

Attention should also be directed to Section 318(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, which provides that the provisions of Sections 310 to and including 317 of the Trust Indenture Act are a part of and govern every qualified indenture, whether or not physically contained therein. Sections designated in the cross-reference sheet above as “Incorporated by Section 318(c)” are not physically contained herein but are incorporated in this Indenture automatically by Section 318(c) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

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THIS INDENTURE, dated as of September 13, 2016 between Mizuho Financial Group, Inc., a joint stock company (kabushiki kaisha) organized under the laws of Japan (the “Company”), and The Bank of New York Mellon (the “Trustee”).

W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS, the Company has duly authorized the issue from time to time of its unsecured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness to be issued in one or more series (the “Securities”) up to such principal amount or amounts as may from time to time be authorized in accordance with the terms of this Indenture, and to provide, among other things, for the authentication, delivery and administration thereof, the Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture; and

WHEREAS, all things necessary to make this Indenture a valid indenture and agreement according to its terms have been done;

NOW, THEREFORE:

In consideration of the premises and the purchases of the Securities by the holders thereof, the Company and the Trustee mutually covenant and agree for the equal and proportionate benefit of the respective holders from time to time of the Securities as follows:

ARTICLE 1

DEFINITIONS

Section 1.01. Certain Terms Defined. The following terms (except as otherwise expressly provided herein or in the form of Security or any indenture supplemental hereto, or unless the context otherwise clearly requires) for all purposes of this Indenture and of any indenture supplemental hereto shall have the respective meanings specified in this Section. All other terms used in this Indenture that are defined in the Trust Indenture Act or the definitions of which contained in the Securities Act are referred to in the Trust Indenture Act, including terms defined in the Trust Indenture Act by reference to the Securities Act (except as herein otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise clearly requires), shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in said Trust Indenture Act and in said Securities Act as in force at the date of this Indenture. All accounting terms used herein and not expressly defined shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the term “generally accepted accounting principles” means such accounting principles as are generally accepted in Japan at the time of any computation. The words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision. The terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to them in this Article and include the plural as well as the singular.

Additional Amounts” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.05.

Authenticating Agent” means any Person authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 5.13 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate the Securities.

Authorized Agent” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.10.


Bankruptcy Act” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.01(c).

Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company or any duly authorized committee of such Board or any director(s), executive officer(s) or officer(s), or combination thereof, of the Company to whom such Board of Directors or duly authorized committee thereof or duly delegated director or executive officer thereof has duly delegated its authority.

Board Resolution” means one or more resolutions or determinations to have been duly adopted or consented to by the Board and to be in full force and effect.

Business Day” means, with respect to any Security, a day that in the city of the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and in The City of New York, Tokyo or any city (or in any of the cities, if more than one) in which amounts are payable, as specified in the form of such Security, and in any other city specified in an indenture supplemental hereto or in the form of such Security, is not a day on which banking institutions are authorized by law or regulation to close.

Civil Rehabilitation Act” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.01(c).

Clearing Organization” means, with respect to the Securities of any series issuable or issued in the form of one or more Registered Global Securities, the Person designated as Clearing Organization by the Company pursuant to Section 2.03 until a successor Clearing Organization shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Clearing Organization” shall mean or include each Person who is then a Clearing Organization hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Clearing Organization” as used with respect to the Securities of any such series shall mean the Clearing Organization with respect to the Registered Global Securities of that series.

Commission” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Exchange Act, or if at any time after the execution and delivery of this Senior Indenture such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties on such date.

Companies Act” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.01(c).

Company” means Mizuho Financial Group, Inc., and, subject to Article 8, its successors and assigns.

Corporate Reorganization Act” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.01(c).

Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which the corporate trust business of the Trustee in the United States shall, at any particular time, be principally administered, which office is, at the date as of which this Indenture is dated, located at 101 Barclay St., New York, NY 10286, USA with a copy to The Bank of New York Mellon, Hong Kong Branch located at Level 24, Three Pacific Place, 1 Queen’s Road East, Hong Kong, or such other address as is referenced in Section 10.04 herein; or as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Company, or the principal corporate trust office of any successor trustee (or such other address as such successor trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Company).

 

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Deposit Insurance Act” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.04.

Deposit Insurance Corporation” means the Deposit Insurance Corporation of Japan.

Depositary” means, with respect to the Registered Global Securities, DTC or such other Person as shall be designated as Depositary by the Company pursuant to the last sentence of Section 2.07(a).

Designated Financial Institution” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.05.

Dollar”, “$” or “U.S. dollar” means the coin or currency of the United States of America that at the time of payment is legal tender for the payment of public and private debts.

DTC” means The Depository Trust Company, its nominees, and their respective successors.

DTC Procedures” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.12(a).

Event of Default” means any event or condition specified as such in Section 4.01.

Exchange Act” means the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

FATCA” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.05.

FSA” means the Financial Services Agency of Japan or any successor or similar authority.

Holder,” “holder of Securities,” “Securityholder” or other similar terms mean the holder of any Security.

Incorporated Provision” has the meaning set forth in Section 10.06.

Indenture” means this instrument as originally executed and delivered or, if amended or supplemented as herein provided, as so amended or supplemented or both, and shall include the forms and terms of particular series of Securities established as contemplated hereunder.

interest” means, when used with respect to non-interest bearing Securities, interest payable after maturity.

Interest Recipient Information” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.05.

Japanese Taxes” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.05.

Judgment Currency” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.13.

New York Banking Day” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.13.

 

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Notice of Default” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.01(b).

Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate signed by any one Responsible Officer of the Company authorized by the Board or a Representative Executive Officer to execute any such certificate. Each such certificate shall comply with Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act and include the statements provided for in Section 10.05.

Opinion of Counsel” means an opinion in writing signed by legal counsel who may be counsel to the Company and which opinion shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee. Each such opinion shall comply with Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act and include the statements provided for in Section 10.05, if and to the extent required hereby.

Original Issue Discount Security” means any Security that provides for an amount less than the principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 4.01.

Outstanding,” when used with reference to Securities, shall, subject to the provisions of Section 6.04, mean, as of any particular time, all Securities authenticated and delivered by the Trustee under this Indenture, except:

(a) Securities theretofore cancelled by the Paying Agent or delivered to the Paying Agent for cancellation; and

(b) Securities in substitution for which other Securities shall have been authenticated and delivered, or which shall have been paid, pursuant to the terms of Section 2.09 (except with respect to any such Security as to which proof satisfactory to the Trustee is presented that such Security is held by a Person in whose hands such Security is a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company).

In determining whether the holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities of any or all series have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, the principal amount of an Original Issue Discount Security that shall be deemed to be Outstanding for such purposes shall be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due and payable as of the date of such determination upon a declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 4.01.

Paying Agent” means (i) the paying agent and transfer agent for the Securities appointed pursuant to this Indenture, which initially shall be The Bank of New York Mellon, or (ii) such other paying agent and/or transfer agent as the Company shall specify to the Trustee as paying agent and/or transfer agent for the Securities or any series thereof.

Person” means any individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political sub-division thereof.

Place of Payment” when used with respect to the Securities of any particular series, means the place or places where the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of that series are payable, as contemplated in Section 2.03(j).

 

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Principal” whenever used with reference to the Securities or any Security or any portion thereof, shall be deemed to include “and premium, if any.” For the avoidance of doubt, “premium” referred to in the previous sentence means amounts exceeding the face value of a Security payable by the Company to the Holders upon redemption or such other event provided for in a supplemental indenture or in a form of Security.

record date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.07(c).

Register” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.08(a).

Registered Global Security” means a Security evidencing all or a part of a series of Registered Securities, issued to the Clearing Organization for such series in accordance with Section 2.03 and bearing the legend prescribed by any applicable form of Security or any supplemental indenture.

Registered Security” means any Security registered on the Register.

Registrar” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.08(a).

Relevant Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.05.

Required Currency” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.13.

Responsible Officer” when used with respect to the Trustee means any managing director, vice president, trust associate, relationship manager, transaction manager, client service manager, any trust officer or any other officer located at the Specified Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by any persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and in each such case, who shall have direct responsibility for the day to day administration of this Indenture. When used with respect to the Company, “Responsible Officer” means the Chairperson, a Deputy Chairperson, the President, a Deputy President, a Senior Managing Executive Officer, a Managing Executive Officer, an Executive Officer, a Senior Corporate Officer, a Corporate Officer, a General Manager, or any other officer or assistant officer of the Company customarily performing functions similar to those performed by the persons who at the time shall be such officers.

Securities Act” means the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Security” or “Securities” has the meaning stated in the first recital of this Indenture, or, as the case may be, Securities that have been authenticated and delivered under this Indenture.

Special Taxation Measures Act” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.05(a).

Specially-Related Person of the Company” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.05(a).

 

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Specified Corporate Trust Office” means The Bank of New York Mellon, Hong Kong Branch located at Level 24, Three Pacific Place, 1 Queen’s Road East, Hong Kong, attention: Corporate Trust – Mizuho Financial Group, Inc., facsimile: +852 2295 3283.

Tax Documentation” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.12.

Trust Indenture Act” (except as otherwise provided in Article 7) means the United States Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as in force at the date as of which this Indenture was originally executed.

Trustee” means the Person identified as “Trustee” in the first paragraph hereof and, subject to the provisions of Article 5, shall also include any successor trustee.

Written Application for Tax Exemption” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.05.

Yen” means the coin or currency of Japan that at the time of payment is legal tender for the payment of public and private debts.

Yield to Maturity” means the yield to maturity on a series of securities, calculated at the time of issuance of such series, or, if applicable, at the most recent redetermination of interest on such series, and calculated in accordance with accepted financial practice.

ARTICLE 2

SECURITIES

Section 2.01. Forms Generally. The Securities of each series shall be substantially in such form (not inconsistent with this Indenture) as shall be established by or pursuant to a Board Resolution and set forth in an Officer’s Certificate or in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in each case with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture and may have imprinted or otherwise reproduced thereon such legend or legends, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, as may be required to comply with any law or with any rules or regulations pursuant thereto, or with any rules of any securities exchange or to conform to general usage, all as may be determined by the officer or officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their execution of the Securities.

The definitive Securities shall be printed or lithographed on security printed paper or may be produced in any other manner, all as determined by the officer or officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by his or their execution of such Securities.

Section 2.02. Form of Trustees Certification of Authentication. Subject to the provisions of Section 5.13, the Trustee’s certificate of authentication on all Securities shall be in substantially the following form:

Certificate of Authentication:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated herein and referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

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Date:                     

       
     

The Bank of New York Mellon

  as Trustee

      By:  

 

        Name:
        Title:

Section 2.03. Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series. The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited.

The Securities may be issued in one or more series, and unless provided for otherwise in the form of Security or in an indenture supplemental hereto, each such series shall constitute direct, unconditional, unsubordinated and unsecured obligations of the Company and rank pari passu and without preference among themselves and with all other unsecured obligations, other than subordinated obligations, of the Company (except for statutorily preferred exceptions) from time to time outstanding. There shall be established in or pursuant to a Board Resolution (which Board Resolution may provide general authorization for such action and may provide that the specific terms of such action may be determined by officers of the Company authorized thereby) and set forth in an Officer’s Certificate, or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, prior to the issuance of Securities of any series,

(a) the issue date of the Securities;

(b) the title and type of the Securities of the series (which shall distinguish the Securities of the series from all other Securities);

(c) the ranking of the Securities;

(d) the initial aggregate principal amount of the Securities and any limits upon the total aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the series that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of the series pursuant to Section 2.08, Section 2.09, Section 2.11, Section 4.03 or Section 11.04);

(e) the denominations in which Securities of the series shall be issuable;

(f) if other than Dollars, the coin or currency in which the Securities of that series are denominated;

(g) the date or dates on which the principal of the Securities of the series is payable;

(h) the rate or rates at which the Securities of the series shall bear interest, if any, or the method by which such rate shall be determined, the date or dates from which such interest shall accrue, the interest payment dates on which such interest shall be payable and the record dates (in the case of Registered Securities) for the determination of Holders to whom interest is payable and/or the method by which such rate or rates or date or dates shall be determined;

 

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(i) if the amount of payments of principal of and interest on the Securities of the series may be determined with reference to an index based on a coin or currency other than that in which the Securities of the series are denominated, or with reference to any currencies, securities or baskets of securities, commodities or indices, the manner in which such amounts shall be determined, to the extent permitted under applicable regulatory capital or other requirements of the FSA, or other applicable regulatory authority;

(j) the manner in which and the place or places where the principal of and any interest on Securities of the series shall be payable (subject to the provisions of Section 3.02);

(k) the right or requirement, if any, to extend the interest payment periods or defer or cancel the payment of interest and the duration and effect of that extension, deferral or cancellation;

(l) any other events of default, modifications or elimination of any acceleration rights, or covenants with respect to the Securities of such series and any terms required by or advisable under applicable laws or regulations or rating agency criteria, including laws and regulations relating to attributes required for the Securities to qualify as capital or certain liabilities for regulatory, rating or other purposes;

(m) any conversion or exchange features of the Securities;

(n) whether and under what circumstances the Company will pay Additional Amounts on the Securities for any tax, assessment or governmental charge withheld or deducted and, if so, whether it will have the option to redeem those Securities rather than pay the Additional Amounts;

(o) the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which, and the terms and conditions upon which Securities of the series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;

(p) whether and under what circumstances the Holders of the Securities may demand repayment of the Securities prior to the stated maturity date and the terms and conditions thereof, to the extent permitted under applicable regulatory capital or other requirements of the FSA, or other applicable regulatory authority;

(q) if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of Securities of the series which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 4.01 or provable in bankruptcy, civil rehabilitation, reorganization, insolvency or similar proceedings pursuant to Section 4.02;

(r) if other than the coin or currency in which the Securities of that series are denominated, the coin or currency in which payment of the principal of or interest on the Securities of such series shall be payable;

 

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(s) if the principal of or interest on the Securities of such series are to be payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof, in a coin or currency other than that in which the Securities are denominated, the period or periods within which, and the terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made;

(t) whether the Securities of the series will be issuable as Registered Securities (and if so, whether such Securities will be issuable as Registered Global Securities) and any restrictions applicable to the offer, sale, transfer, exchange or delivery of Registered Securities or the payment of interest thereon;

(u) any trustees, authenticating or paying agents, transfer agents or registrars or any other agents with respect to the Securities of such series;

(v) any restrictions applicable to the offer, sale or delivery of the Securities;

(w) any provisions for the discharge of the Company’s obligations relating to the Securities;

(x) if the Securities of such series are to be issuable in definitive form (whether upon original issue or upon exchange of a temporary Security of such series) only upon receipt of certain certificates or other documents or satisfaction of other conditions, the form and terms of such certificates, documents or conditions;

(y) whether a series of Securities may be reopened in a manner consistent with the terms of this Indenture, without the consent of the Holders of the Securities of such series, for increases in the aggregate principal amount of such series or for the establishment of additional terms with respect to the Securities of such series;

(z) whether the Securities of a series shall be excluded from participation with the Securities of other series or otherwise differentiated from the Securities of other series in relation to any matter in respect of which the Securities generally or Securities of more than one series are contemplated by this Indenture to act together or otherwise be treated or affected collectively;

(aa) any write-down, write-up, bail-in or other provisions applicable to a particular series of Securities required by, relating to or in connection with applicable regulatory capital or other requirements of the FSA or other applicable regulatory authority; and

(bb) any other terms of the series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture).

All Securities of any one series shall be identical except as to denomination, issue date, issue price and, if applicable, the date from which interest shall accrue and the date on which interest shall be first paid, except as may otherwise be provided in or pursuant to a Board Resolution and set forth in an Officer’s Certificate or in an indenture supplemental hereto, as referenced above. Securities of any one series need not be issued at the same time, and unless otherwise provided, a series may be reopened for issuance of additional Securities of such series without the consent of any Holder; provided that such additional Securities must be fungible with the other Securities of the same series for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

 

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Section 2.04. Authentication and Delivery of Securities. At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities of any series executed by the Company to the Trustee for authentication, and the Trustee shall thereupon authenticate and deliver such Securities to or upon the written order of the Company, signed by any one Responsible Officer of the Company authorized by the Board to execute any such order, without any further action by the Company. In authenticating such Securities and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 5.01) shall be fully protected in relying upon:

(a) a copy of any Board Resolution relating to such series certified by a Responsible Officer of the Company;

(b) an executed supplemental indenture, if any;

(c) an Officer’s Certificate setting forth the form and terms of the Securities as required pursuant to Section 2.01 and Section 2.03 and prepared in accordance with Section 10.05; and

(d) an Opinion of Counsel, prepared in accordance with Section 10.05, to the effect that

(i) the form or forms and terms of such Securities have been established by or pursuant to a Board Resolution or by a supplemental indenture as permitted by Section 2.01 and Section 2.03 in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture;

(ii) such Securities, when authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and issued by the Company in the manner and subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company;

(iii) all laws and requirements in respect of the execution and delivery by the Company of the Securities have been complied with; and

(iv) covers such other matters as the Trustee may reasonably request, including enforceability, execution, delivery and validity of the Indenture and the Securities.

The Trustee shall have the right to decline to authenticate and deliver any Securities under this Section if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not lawfully be taken by the Company, or if the Trustee in good faith shall determine that such action would expose the Trustee to personal liability to existing Holders.

Section 2.05. Execution of Securities. The Securities shall be signed on behalf of the Company by one (or, if so specified in the indenture supplemental hereto or Board Resolution establishing the terms thereof, more than one) Responsible Officer of the Company, which Securities may, but need not, be attested. Such signatures may be the manual or facsimile signatures of the present or any future such officers. Typographical and other minor errors or defects in any such reproduction of any such signature shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any Security that has been duly authenticated and delivered by the Trustee.

 

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In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Securities shall cease to be such officer before the Security so signed shall be authenticated and delivered by the Trustee or disposed of by the Company, such Security nevertheless may be authenticated and delivered or disposed of as though the person who signed such Security had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Security may be signed on behalf of the Company by such persons as, at the actual date of the execution of such Security, shall be the proper officers of the Company, although at the date of the execution and delivery of this Indenture any such person was not such an officer.

Section 2.06. Certificate of Authentication. Only such Securities as shall bear thereon a certificate of authentication substantially in the form hereinbefore recited, executed by the Trustee by the manual signature of one of its authorized officers, shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose. Such certificate by the Trustee upon any Security executed by the Company shall be conclusive evidence that the Security so authenticated has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder and that the holder is entitled to the benefits of this Indenture.

Section 2.07. Form, Denomination and Date of Securities; Payments of Interest.

(a) The Securities shall be issued as Registered Global Securities in the forms set forth in Exhibit A, in the case of fixed rate Securities, and Exhibit B, in the case of floating rate Securities, and in denominations as shall be specified as contemplated by Section 2.03. The Securities of any series shall be denominated in minimum principal amounts of $200,000 and in integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof, or such other denominations, integral multiples and currencies as the Company may designate in a form of Security or an indenture supplemental hereto or Board Resolution establishing the terms thereof, in an aggregate principal amount that shall equal the aggregate principal amount of the Securities that are to be issued. The Securities shall be issuable as Registered Securities without coupons. The Securities shall be numbered, lettered, or otherwise distinguished in such manner or in accordance with such plans as the Responsible Officer of the Company executing the same may determine, as evidenced by such Responsible Officer’s execution of such Securities.

Any of the Securities may be issued with appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and variations, and may have imprinted or otherwise reproduced thereon such legend or legends, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, as may be required to comply with any law or with any rules or regulations pursuant thereto, or with the rules of the Depositary or any securities market in which the Securities are admitted to trading, or to conform to general usage, or as the Company may determine appropriate to provide notice of any provision of Japanese law or regulation relating to taxation.

Each Registered Global Security shall be delivered by the Trustee to and deposited with the Depositary or, pursuant to the Depositary’s instructions, shall be delivered by the Trustee on behalf of the Depositary to and deposited with the Depositary’s custodian, and in either case shall be registered in such name as the Depositary shall specify. Registered Global Securities may be deposited with such other Depositary that is a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act as the Company may from time to time designate in writing to the Trustee, and shall bear such legend as may be appropriate.

 

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(b) Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication and shall bear interest from the date, and shall be payable on the dates, specified on the reverse of the applicable form of Security, which shall be specified as contemplated by Section 2.03.

(c) The Person in whose name any Registered Security of any series is registered on any record date with respect to any interest payment date shall be entitled to receive the interest payable on such interest payment date notwithstanding any transfer or exchange of such Security subsequent to such record date and prior to such interest payment date, except if and to the extent the Company shall default in the payment of the interest due on such interest payment date for such series, in which case such defaulted interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names Outstanding Securities are registered on a subsequent record date (which shall be not less than five Business Days prior to the date of payment of such defaulted interest) established by notice given by mail by or on behalf of the Company to the holders of Securities not less than 15 days preceding such subsequent record date. The term “record date” as used with respect to any interest payment date (except a date for payment of defaulted interest) shall have the meaning set forth in the applicable form of reverse of the Securities of any particular series, or, if no such date is so specified, shall be the day five Business Days immediately preceding the applicable interest payment date.

Section 2.08. Registration, Transfer and Exchange of Securities.

(a) The Bank of New York Mellon, acting as the Company’s agent for such purposes (the “Registrar”), will keep books for the registration, transfer and exchange of the Securities at the Specified Corporate Trust Office of the Registrar. The Registrar shall also act as the transfer agent with respect to the transfer or exchange of the Securities or a beneficial interest in the Securities. The Bank of New York Mellon is hereby appointed by the Company, and accepts such appointment, as initial Registrar. The Registrar will keep a record of all Securities (the “Register”) at said office. The Register will show the amount of the Securities, the date of issue, all subsequent transfers and changes of ownership in respect thereof and the names, tax identifying numbers (if relevant to a specific holder), addresses of the registered holders of the Securities and any payment instructions with respect thereto (if different from a holder’s registered address). The Registrar will also maintain a record which will include notations as to whether the Securities have been paid or cancelled, and, in the case of mutilated, destroyed, stolen or lost Securities, whether such Securities have been replaced. In the case of the replacement of any of the Securities, such records will include notations of each Security so replaced, and the Security issued in replacement thereof. In the case of the cancellation of any of the Securities, such records will include notations of each Security so cancelled and the date on which such Security was cancelled. The Registrar shall upon prior written request make the Register and such records available during normal office hours to the Company, or any Person authorized by the Company in writing, for inspection and for the taking of copies thereof or extracts therefrom, and, at the expense of the Company, the Registrar shall deliver to such Persons all lists of Securityholders, their addresses and amounts of such holdings as they may request.

 

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The respective principal amounts of each Registered Global Security may be increased or decreased by endorsement on the Register by the Registrar of appropriate notations evidencing the dates and amounts of such increases and decreases in connection with transactions contemplated or permitted hereby.

The Register and the records referred to above shall be in written form in the English language or in any other form capable of being converted into such form within a reasonable time.

(b) Upon due presentation for registration of transfer of any Registered Security of any series at any such office or agency to be maintained for the purpose as provided in Section 3.02, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate Securities and deliver in the name or names of the transferee or transferees a new Security or Securities of the same series in authorized denominations for a like aggregate principal amount.

Any Security or Securities of any series may be exchanged for a Security or Securities of the same series in other authorized denominations, in an equal aggregate principal amount. Securities of any series to be exchanged shall be surrendered at any office or agency to be maintained by the Company for the purpose as provided in Section 3.02, and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor the Security or Securities of the same series which the Holder making the exchange shall be entitled to receive, bearing numbers not contemporaneously outstanding.

All Securities presented for registration of transfer, exchange, redemption or payment shall be duly endorsed by, or be accompanied by a written instrument or instruments of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder or his attorney duly authorized in writing.

The Company shall not be required to exchange or register a transfer of (a) any Securities of any series for a period of 15 days next preceding the first mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of such series to be redeemed, or (b) any Securities selected, called or being called for redemption except, in the case of any Security where public notice has been given that such Security is to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not so to be redeemed.

All Securities issued upon any transfer or exchange of Securities shall be valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Securities surrendered upon such transfer or exchange.

(c) Transfer, registration and exchange shall be permitted as provided in this Section 2.08 without any charge to the Securityholder except for the expenses of delivery (if any) not made by regular mail (such delivery to be at the sole risk and expense of the transferee or holder, as applicable) and except, if the Company or the Registrar shall so require, the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any stamp duty, tax or governmental charge or insurance charge that may be imposed in relation thereto. Registration of the transfer of a Security by the Registrar shall be deemed to be the sole acknowledgment of such transfer on behalf of the Company.

 

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Section 2.09. Mutilated, Defaced, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities. In case any temporary or definitive Security shall become mutilated, defaced or be destroyed, lost or stolen, the Company in its discretion may execute, and upon the written request of any officer of the Company, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver a new Security of the same series, bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, in exchange and substitution for the mutilated or defaced Security, or in lieu of and substitution for the Security so destroyed, lost or stolen. In every case the applicant for a substitute Security shall furnish to the Company and to the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee such security or indemnity as may be required by them to indemnify and defend and to save each of them harmless and, in every case of destruction, loss or theft, evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of such Security and of the ownership thereof and in the case of mutilation or defacement the applicant shall surrender the Security to the Trustee or such agent.

Upon the issuance of any substitute Security, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee or its agent) connected therewith. In case any Security which has matured or is about to mature or has been called for redemption in full shall become mutilated or defaced or be destroyed, lost or stolen, the Company may instead of issuing a substitute Security, pay or authorize the payment of the same (without surrender thereof except in the case of a mutilated or defaced Security), if the applicant for such payment shall furnish to the Company and the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee such security and/or indemnity as any of them may require to save each of them harmless, and, in every case of destruction, loss or theft, the applicant shall also furnish to the Company and the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of such Security and of the ownership thereof.

Every substitute Security of any series issued pursuant to the provisions of this Section by virtue of the fact that any such Security is destroyed, lost or stolen shall constitute an additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be at any time enforceable by anyone and shall be entitled to all the benefits of (but shall be subject to all the limitations of rights set forth in) this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of such series duly authenticated and delivered hereunder. All Securities shall be held and owned upon the express condition that, to the extent permitted by law, the foregoing provisions are exclusive with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, defaced or destroyed, lost or stolen Securities and shall preclude any and all other rights or remedies notwithstanding any law or statute existing or hereafter enacted to the contrary with respect to the replacement or payment of negotiable instruments or other securities without their surrender.

Section 2.10. Cancellation of Securities. All Securities surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer or exchange, if surrendered to the Company, or any agent of the Company or the Paying Agent, shall be delivered to the Paying Agent for cancellation or, if surrendered to the Paying Agent, shall be cancelled by it; and no Securities shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Indenture. The Paying Agent shall dispose of canceled Securities held by it in accordance with its procedures for the disposition of cancelled securities in effect as of the date of such disposition and, upon receipt of a written request from the Company, deliver a certificate of disposition to the Company. If the Company shall acquire any of the Securities, such acquisition shall not operate as a redemption or satisfaction of the indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the same are delivered to the Paying Agent for cancellation.

 

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Section 2.11. Temporary Securities. Pending the preparation of definitive Securities for any series, the Company may execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver temporary Securities for such series (printed, lithographed, typewritten or otherwise reproduced, in each case in form satisfactory to the Trustee). Temporary Securities of any series shall be issuable as Registered Securities without coupons, of any authorized denomination, and substantially in the form of the definitive Securities of such series but with such omissions, insertions and variations as may be appropriate for temporary Securities, all as may be determined by the Company with the reasonable concurrence of the Trustee. Temporary Securities may contain such reference to any provisions of this Indenture as may be appropriate. Every temporary Security shall be executed by the Company and be authenticated by the Trustee upon the same conditions and in substantially the same manner, and with like effect, as the definitive Securities. Without unreasonable delay the Company shall execute definitive Securities of such series and thereupon temporary Securities of such series may be surrendered in exchange therefor without charge at each office or agency to be maintained by the Company for that purpose pursuant to Section 3.02, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange for such temporary Securities of such series a like aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of the same series of authorized denominations. Until so exchanged, the temporary Securities of any series shall be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series unless otherwise established pursuant to Section 2.03.

Section 2.12. Japanese Withholding Tax.

(a) In compliance with Japanese tax laws and the practices of tax authorities in Japan, in respect of any interest payment on a series of Securities issued in global or book-entry form pursuant to this Indenture or any supplemental indenture hereto, any Paying Agent shall act in accordance with the Operating Manual – Japanese Withholding Tax on Certain International Issues Held Through DTC (as may be amended from time to time by notice from the International Capital Market Association, the “DTC Procedures”), if DTC is acting as Clearing Organization with respect to such series or with respect to depositary interests representing the Securities of such series, or in accordance with such other similar procedures as may be established by another Clearing Organization. Except as otherwise provided in this Indenture, any such Paying Agent shall be responsible only for performing such services as are specifically provided for in the DTC Procedures or such other procedures actually known by the Paying Agent, as applicable and as may be amended or modified and communicated to the Paying Agent from time to time. Any such Paying Agent and the Company may rely on the information provided in the Written Application for Tax Exemption (as defined below) and other documentation in the absence of actual knowledge to the contrary. If any interest payment on a series of Securities is due to be made hereunder and if and so long as payments of interest (if any) by the Company to any Paying Agent may be made without deduction or withholding for or on account of Japanese tax only upon receipt of certifications, the Written Application for Tax Exemption, notifications or other documentation in compliance with Japanese tax law requirements (“Tax Documentation”), the relevant Paying Agent at the direction of the Company shall (i) collect the required Tax Documentation from the Clearing Organization (or Holders of the Securities, if definitive Securities representing such series of Securities have been issued); (ii) provide any required confirmations of information available to it; and (iii) promptly deliver such Tax Documentation so received to the Company for filing with the relevant Japanese district tax office. Any such Paying Agent may rely on the information provided in Tax Documentation (including where relevant, supporting documentation) in the absence of actual knowledge that such information is incorrect. Neither the Company nor the Paying Agent shall have any liability for any withholding of tax arising as a result of a late delivery of the required Tax Documentation or incorrectly completed Tax Documentation.

 

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(b) If a Holder of the Securities or the holder of a beneficial interest in the Securities satisfies the requirements for claiming an exemption from Japanese withholding tax after the date on which an amount in respect of such tax is withheld and before the date on which the tax is actually paid to the Japanese tax authorities, then the Company or the Paying Agent acting at the direction of the Company shall, to the extent reasonably practicable and to the extent not prohibited by Japanese tax law, repay the amount withheld (after deduction of reasonable costs, including amounts in respect of changes in foreign exchange rates) to the Holder.

(c) The Paying Agent shall furnish forms of certifications to Holders upon request, and shall use reasonable efforts to assist Holders in claiming available exemptions, but shall not be liable for a Holder’s failure to qualify for such an exemption. Based on the Tax Documentation received, the Paying Agent will make the appropriate calculations of interest payable after making the relevant deductions in accordance with this Section 2.12. The Paying Agent will remit all amounts of tax withheld under this Section 2.12 to or to the written order of the Company as soon as reasonably practicable in order to enable the Company to make the necessary payments to the relevant tax office in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. The Paying Agent shall retain copies of Tax Documentation for a period of five years from the date of receipt and shall make such documentation available for inspection by the Company and any relevant tax authorities in Japan upon written request given in reasonable notice from the Company.

Section 2.13. CUSIP, ISIN Numbers and Common Codes. The Company in issuing the Securities may use CUSIP, ISIN numbers and Common Codes if then generally in use, and, if so, the Trustee shall use CUSIP, ISIN numbers and Common Codes in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders; provided, that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Securities, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers. The Company will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in the CUSIP, ISIN numbers or Common Codes.

ARTICLE 3

COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY

Section 3.01. Payment of Principal and Interest. The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of each series of Securities that it will duly and punctually pay or cause to be paid the principal of, and interest on, each of the Securities of such series (together with any Additional Amounts payable pursuant to the terms of such Securities) at the place or places, at the respective times and in the manner provided in such Securities. Subject to any other provisions that may be established pursuant to Section 2.03, the interest on Securities (together with any Additional Amounts payable pursuant to the terms of such Securities) shall be payable only to or upon the written order of the Holders thereof and, at the option of the Company, may be paid by wire transfer. The Trustee and the Paying Agent shall not be responsible in any manner whatsoever to pay any administrative costs imposed by banks in connection with the making of any payments by wire transfer. Neither the Trustee nor any Paying Agent shall have any obligation to advance its own funds, and all payments on the Securities shall be made from immediately available funds deposited by the Company no later than 10:00 a.m. New York time on the relevant payment date.

 

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The interest, if any, due in respect of any temporary or definitive Security, together with any Additional Amounts payable in respect thereof, as provided in the terms and conditions of such Security, shall be payable, subject to the conditions set forth in Section 3.05, only upon presentation of such Security to the Trustee thereof for notation thereon of the payment of such interest.

Section 3.02. Offices for Payments, etc. So long as any of the Securities remain Outstanding, the Company will maintain in each Place of Payment the following for each series: an office or agency (a) where the Securities may be presented or surrendered for payment, (b) where Registered Securities may be presented or surrendered for registration of transfer and for exchange as provided in this Indenture and (c) where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities or of this Indenture may be served. The Company will give to the Trustee written notice of the location of any such office or agency and of any change of location thereof. Unless otherwise specified in accordance with Section 2.03, the Company hereby initially designates the Corporate Trust Office of the Paying Agent as the office to be maintained by it for each such purpose in relation to Registered Securities. In case the Company shall fail to so designate or maintain any such office or agency or shall fail to give such notice of the location or of any change in the location thereof, presentations, surrenders and demands may be made and notices may be served at the Corporate Trust Office.

The Company may from time to time designate one or more offices or agencies (in addition to or in lieu of the office or agency established pursuant to the preceding paragraph) where the Securities of a series may be presented or surrendered for payment and where Registered Securities of that series may be presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange as provided in this Indenture, and the Company may from time to time rescind any such designation, as the Company may deem desirable or expedient; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain the agencies provided for in this Section. The Company will give to the Trustee prompt written notice of any such designation or rescission thereof.

Section 3.03. Appointment to Fill a Vacancy in Office of Trustee. The Company, whenever necessary to avoid or fill a vacancy in the office of Trustee, will appoint, in the manner provided in Section 5.09, a Trustee, so that there shall at all times be a Trustee with respect to each series of Securities hereunder.

Section 3.04. Paying Agents. The Bank of New York Mellon is hereby appointed by the Company, and accepts such appointment, as initial Paying Agent. The initial Paying Agent hereby agrees, and whenever the Company shall appoint a Paying Agent other than the Trustee, it will cause such Paying Agent to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section,

 

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(a) that it will hold all sums received by it as such agent for the payment of the principal of or interest on the Securities of such series (whether such sums have been paid to it by the Company or by any other obligor on the Securities of such series) in trust for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of such series or of the Trustee, and that it will pay the principal of, and interest on, each series of Securities as provided in this Indenture,

(b) that (unless such Paying Agent is the same bank as the Trustee) it will give the Trustee notice of any failure by the Company (or by any other obligor on the Securities of such series) to make any payment of the principal of or interest on the Securities of such series when the same shall be due and payable, and

(c) that (unless such Paying Agent is the same bank as the Trustee) it will pay any such sums so held in trust by it to the Trustee upon the Trustee’s written request at any time during the continuance of the failure referred to in Section 3.04(b) above.

The Company will, no later than 10:00 a.m. New York time on each due date of the principal of or interest on the Securities of such series, deposit with the Paying Agent a sum sufficient to pay such principal or interest so becoming due, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee of any failure to take such action.

If the Company shall act as its own Paying Agent with respect to the Securities of any series, it will, on or before each due date of the principal of or interest on the Securities of such series, set aside, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of such series a sum sufficient to pay such principal or interest so becoming due. The Company will promptly notify the Trustee of any failure to take such action.

Anything in this Section to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining a satisfaction and discharge with respect to one or more or all series of Securities hereunder, or for any other reason, pay or cause to be paid to the Trustee all sums held in trust for any such series by the Company or any Paying Agent hereunder, as required by this Section, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the trusts herein contained.

Anything in this Section to the contrary notwithstanding, the agreement to hold sums in trust as provided in this Section is subject to the provisions of Section 9.03 and Section 9.04.

Section 3.05. Additional Amounts. All payments of principal and interest in respect of the Securities by the Company shall be made without withholding or deduction for, or on account of, any present or future taxes, duties, assessments, levies or governmental charges of whatever nature imposed or levied by or on behalf of Japan, or any political sub-division of, or any authority in, or of, Japan having power to tax (“Japanese Taxes”), unless such withholding or deduction is required by law. In that event, the Company shall pay to the holder of each Security such additional amounts (all such amounts being referred to herein as “Additional Amounts”) as may be necessary so that the net amounts received by it after such withholding or deduction shall equal the respective amounts which would have been receivable in respect of such Security in the absence of such withholding or deduction, provided that, no such Additional Amounts shall be payable in relation to any such withholding or deduction in respect of any payment on the Securities:

 

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(a) to or on behalf of a Securityholder or beneficial owner of a Security who is an individual non-resident of Japan or a non-Japanese corporation and is liable for such Japanese Taxes in respect of such Security by reason of its (1) having some connection with Japan other than the mere holding of such Security, or (2) being a person having a special relationship with the Company as described in Article 6, paragraph 4 of the Act on Special Measures Concerning Taxation of Japan (Act No. 26 of 1957) (the “Special Taxation Measures Act”) (a “Specially-Related Person of the Company”); or

(b) to or on behalf of a Securityholder or beneficial owner of a Security (A) who would be exempt from any such withholding or deduction but who fails to comply with any applicable requirement to provide certification, information, documents or other evidence concerning its nationality, residence, identity or connection with Japan, including any requirement to provide Interest Recipient Information (as defined below) or to submit a Written Application for Tax Exemption (as defined below) to the Company or a Paying Agent, as appropriate, or (B) whose Interest Recipient Information is not duly communicated through the Participant (as defined below) and the relevant International Clearing Organization to a Paying Agent; or

(c) to or on behalf of a Securityholder or beneficial owner of a Security who is for Japanese tax purposes treated as an individual resident of Japan or a Japanese corporation (except for (A) a Designated Financial Institution (as defined below) who complies with the requirement to provide Interest Recipient Information or to submit a Written Application for Tax Exemption and (B) an individual resident of Japan or a Japanese corporation who duly notifies (directly or through the Participant or otherwise) a Paying Agent of its status as not being subject to Japanese Taxes to be withheld or deducted by the Company, by reason of such individual resident of Japan or Japanese corporation receiving interest on the relevant Security through a payment handling agent in Japan appointed by it); or

(d) to or on behalf of a Securityholder or beneficial owner of a Security who presents a Security for payment (where presentation is required) more than 30 days after the Relevant Date (as defined below), except to the extent that such Securityholder or beneficial owner of a Security would have been entitled to such Additional Amounts on presenting the same for payment on any date during such 30-day period; or

(e) to or on behalf of a Securityholder who is a fiduciary or partnership or is not the sole beneficial owner of the payment of the principal of, or any interest on, any Security, and Japanese law requires the payment to be included for tax purposes in the income of a beneficiary or settlor with respect to such fiduciary or a member of such partnership or a beneficial owner, in each case, who would not have been entitled to such Additional Amounts had it been the holder of such Security; or

(f) any combination of (a) through (e) above.

 

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Where a Security is held through a participant of a Clearing Organization or a financial intermediary (each, a “Participant”), in order to receive payments free of withholding or deduction by the Company for, or on account of, Japanese Taxes, if the relevant beneficial owner of a Security is (1) an individual non-resident of Japan or a non-Japanese corporation that in either case is not a Specially-Related Person of the Company or (2) a Japanese financial institution (a “Designated Financial Institution”) falling under certain categories prescribed by Article 6, paragraph 9 of the Special Taxation Measures Act and the cabinet order thereunder (Cabinet Order No. 43 of 1957), as amended (together with the ministerial ordinance and other regulations thereunder, the “Act”), all in accordance with the Act, such beneficial owner of a Security must, at the time of entrusting a Participant with the custody of the relevant Security, provide certain information prescribed by the Act to enable the Participant to establish that such beneficial owner of a Security is exempted from the requirement for Japanese Taxes to be withheld or deducted (the “Interest Recipient Information”), and advise the Participant if such beneficial owner of a Security ceases to be so exempted including the case where the relevant beneficial owner of the Security who is an individual non-resident of Japan or a non-Japanese corporation becomes a Specially-Related Person of the Company.

Where a Security is not held by a Participant, in order to receive payments free of withholding or deduction by the Company for, or on account of, Japanese Taxes, if the relevant beneficial owner of a Security is (i) an individual non-resident of Japan or a non-Japanese corporation that in either case is not a Specially-Related Person of the Company or (ii) a Designated Financial Institution, all in accordance with the Act, such beneficial owner of a Security must, prior to each date on which it receives interest, submit to the Company or a Paying Agent, as appropriate, a written application for tax exemption (hikazei tekiyo shinkokusho) (a “Written Application for Tax Exemption”) in the form obtainable from the Company or any Paying Agent, as appropriate, stating, among other things, the name and address (and, if applicable, the Japanese individual or corporation ID number) of such beneficial owner of a Security, the title of the Securities, the relevant interest payment date, the amount of interest payable and the fact that such beneficial owner of a Security is qualified to submit the Written Application for Tax Exemption, together with documentary evidence regarding its identity and residence.

As used herein, the “Relevant Date” means the date on which any payment in respect of a Security first becomes due, except that, if the full amount of the moneys payable has not been duly received by the Paying Agent on or prior to such due date, it means the date on which, the full amount of such moneys having been so received, notice to that effect is duly given to the Securityholders in accordance with this Indenture.

The obligation to pay Additional Amounts shall not apply to (i) any estate, inheritance, gift, excise, sales, transfer, personal property or any similar tax, assessment or other governmental charge or (ii) any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that is payable otherwise than by deduction or withholding from payments of principal or interest on the Securities; provided that, except as otherwise set forth in the Securities and this Indenture, the Company shall pay all stamp and other duties, if any, which may be imposed by Japan, the United States or any respective political sub-division or any taxing authority thereof or therein, with respect to this Indenture or as a consequence of the issuance of the Securities.

No Additional Amounts will be payable for or on account of any deduction or withholding imposed pursuant to Sections 1471-1474 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, the U.S. Treasury regulations thereunder and any other official guidance thereunder (“FATCA”), any intergovernmental agreement entered into with respect to FATCA, or any law, regulation or other official guidance enacted in any jurisdiction implementing, or relating to, FATCA, similar legislation under the laws of any other jurisdiction, or any such intergovernmental agreement.

 

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Whenever in this Indenture there is mentioned, in any context, the payment of the principal of, or interest on, or in respect of, any Security, such mention shall be deemed to include the payment of Additional Amounts provided for in this Section 3.05, to the extent that, in such context, Additional Amounts are, were or would be payable in respect thereof pursuant to the provisions of this Section 3.05, and express mention of the payment of Additional Amounts (if applicable) in any provisions hereof shall not be construed as excluding Additional Amounts in other provisions hereof where such express mention is not made.

Section 3.06. Certificate of the Company. So long as any Securities are Outstanding under this Indenture, the Company will furnish to the Trustee within 120 days of the end of the Company’s fiscal year each year (beginning with the year following the first issuance of any Securities pursuant to this Indenture) a brief certificate (which need not comply with Section 10.05) from the principal executive, financial or accounting officer of the Company, as to his or her knowledge of the Company’s compliance with all conditions and covenants under this Indenture (such compliance to be determined without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice provided under this Indenture) substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A.

Section 3.07. Securityholders Lists. If and so long as the Trustee shall not be the Registrar for the Securities of any series, the Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee a list in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require of the names and addresses of the Holders of the Securities of such series pursuant to Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act (a) not more than 15 days after each record date for the payment of interest on such Securities, as hereinabove specified, as of such record date and on dates to be determined pursuant to Section 2.03 for non-interest bearing securities in each year, and (b) at such other times as the Trustee may reasonably request in writing, within 30 days after receipt by the Company of any such request as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such information is furnished.

Section 3.08. Statement by Officers as to Default. The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, reasonably promptly after the Company becomes aware of the occurrence of any Event of Default or an event which, with notice or the lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default, an Officer’s Certificate setting forth the details of such Event of Default or default and the action which the Company proposes to take with respect thereto.

Section 3.09. Reports by the Company. The Company covenants to file with the Trustee, within 30 days after the Company files the same with the Commission, copies of any annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports that the Issuer may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act as long as any Securities are Outstanding hereunder. Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such reports shall not constitute actual or constructive notice or knowledge of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on an Officer’s Certificate).

 

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Section 3.10. Notices to Holders. The Company shall deliver to the Trustee an advance copy of any Company notice to Holders before it is delivered to Holders. The Bank of New York Mellon’s name may not be used in any such notice without the express permission of The Bank of New York Mellon.

ARTICLE 4

REMEDIES OF THE TRUSTEE AND SECURITYHOLDERS ON EVENT OF DEFAULT

Section 4.01. Event of Default, Acceleration of Maturity, Waiver of Default. Unless otherwise established in accordance with Section 2.03 or by any applicable supplemental indenture, “Event of Default,” with respect to Securities of any series wherever used herein, means each one of the following events which shall have occurred and be continuing (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body):

(a) default by the Company in the payment when due of the interest or principal in respect of any of the Securities and the continuance of any such default for a period of 30 days after the date when due, unless the Company shall have cured such default by payment within such period; or

(b) the Company shall fail duly to perform or observe any other term, covenant or agreement contained in any of the Securities of such series or in this Indenture in respect of the Securities of such series for a period of 90 days after the date on which written notice of such failure, requiring the Company to remedy the same, shall have been given first to the Company (and to the Trustee in the case of notice by the Holders referred to below) by the Trustee or Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the then outstanding Securities of such series (such notification must specify the Event of Default, demand that it be remedied and state that the notification is a “Notice of Default” hereunder); or

(c) a decree or order by any court having jurisdiction shall have been issued adjudging the Company bankrupt or insolvent or approving a petition seeking reorganization under the Bankruptcy Act of Japan (Act No. 75 of 2004, as amended; the “Bankruptcy Act”), the Civil Rehabilitation Act of Japan (Act No. 225 of 1999, as amended; the “Civil Rehabilitation Act”), the Corporate Reorganization Act of Japan (Act No. 154 of 2002, as amended; the “Corporate Reorganization Act”), the Companies Act of Japan (Act No. 86 of 2005, as amended; the “Companies Act”) or any other similar applicable law of Japan, and such decree or order shall have continued undischarged or unstayed for a period of 60 days; or a decree or order of a court having jurisdiction for the appointment of a receiver or liquidator or trustee or assignee in bankruptcy or insolvency of the Company or of all or substantially all of its property or for the winding-up or liquidation of its affairs, shall have been issued, and such decree or order shall have continued undischarged or unstayed for a period of 60 days; or

(d) the Company shall institute proceedings seeking adjudication of bankruptcy or seeking reorganization under the Bankruptcy Act, the Civil Rehabilitation Act, the Corporate Reorganization Act, the Companies Act or any other similar applicable law of Japan, or shall consent to the institution of any such proceedings or shall consent to the appointment of a receiver or liquidator or trustee or assignee in bankruptcy or insolvency of itself or of all or substantially all of its property, or an effective resolution shall have been passed by the Company for the winding up or dissolution of its affairs, other than for the purpose of an amalgamation or merger, provided that the continuing or successor corporation has effectively assumed the obligations of the Company under such series of Securities and this Indenture; or

 

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(e) any other Event of Default provided in the supplemental indenture or Board Resolution (as set forth in an Officer’s Certificate) under which such series of Securities is issued or in the form of Security for such series.

Unless otherwise set forth in any applicable supplemental indenture, if an Event of Default described above occurs and is continuing with respect to a series, then, and in each and every such case, unless the principal of all of the Securities of such series has already become due and payable, either the Trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series then Outstanding hereunder by notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Securityholders), may declare the entire principal (or, if the Securities of any such affected series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such series) of all Securities of such series, and the interest accrued thereon, to be due and payable immediately, and upon any such declaration the same shall become immediately due and payable.

The foregoing provisions, however, are subject to the condition that if, at any time after the principal (or, if the Securities are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal as may be specified in the terms thereof) of the Securities of any series shall have been so declared due and payable, and before any judgment or decree for the payment of the moneys due shall have been obtained or entered as hereinafter provided, the Company shall pay or shall deposit with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay all matured installments of interest upon all the Securities of such series and the principal of any and all Securities of such series which shall have become due otherwise than by acceleration (with interest upon such principal and, to the extent that payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable law, on overdue installments of interest, at the same rate as the rate of interest or Yield to Maturity (in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities) specified in the Securities of such series to the date of such payment or deposit) and such amount as shall be sufficient to cover reasonable compensation to the Trustee, its agents, attorneys and counsel, and all other reasonable expenses and liabilities incurred, and all advances made, by the Trustee except as a result of negligence or bad faith, and if any and all Events of Default with respect to such series, other than the non-payment of the principal of Securities which shall have become due by acceleration, shall have been cured, waived or otherwise remedied as provided herein—then and in every such case the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of all the Securities of such series then Outstanding, by written notice to the Company and to the Trustee, may waive all defaults with respect to such series and rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences, but no such waiver or rescission and annulment shall extend to or shall affect any subsequent default or shall impair any right consequent thereon.

For all purposes under this Indenture, if a portion of the principal of any Original Issue Discount Securities shall have been accelerated and declared due and payable pursuant to the provisions hereof, then, from and after such declaration, unless such declaration has been rescinded and annulled, the principal amount of such Original Issue Discount Securities shall be deemed, for all purposes hereunder, to be such portion of the principal thereof as shall be due and payable as a result of such acceleration, and payment of such portion of the principal thereof as shall be due and payable as a result of such acceleration, together with interest, if any, thereon and all other amounts owing thereunder, shall constitute payment in full of such Original Issue Discount Securities.

 

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Section 4.02. Collection of Indebtedness by Trustee; Trustee May File Proof of Claim. The Company covenants that (a) in case default shall be made in the payment of any installment of interest on any of the Securities of any series when such interest shall have become due and payable, and such default shall have continued for a period of 30 days or (b) in case default shall be made in the payment of all or any part of the principal of any of the Securities of any series when the same shall have become due and payable, whether upon maturity of the Securities of such series or upon any redemption or by declaration or otherwise, then upon demand of the Trustee, the Company will pay to the Trustee for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of such series the whole amount that then shall have become due and payable on all Securities of such series for principal or interest, as the case may be (with interest to the date of such payment upon the overdue principal and, to the extent that payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable law, on overdue installments of interest, at the same rate as the rate of interest or Yield to Maturity (in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities) specified in the Securities of such series); and in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including reasonable compensation to the Trustee, its agents, attorneys and counsel, and liabilities and reasonable expenses incurred, and all advances made, by the Trustee except as a result of its negligence or bad faith.

Until such demand is made by the Trustee, the Company may pay the principal of and interest on the Securities of any series to the Holders, whether or not the principal of and interest on the Securities of such series be overdue.

In case the Company shall fail forthwith to pay such amounts upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, shall be entitled and empowered to institute any action or proceedings at law or in equity for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, and may prosecute any such action or proceedings to judgment or final decree, and may enforce any such judgment or final decree against the Company or other obligor upon such Securities and collect in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or other obligor upon such Securities, wherever situated, the moneys adjudged or decreed to be payable.

In case there shall be pending judicial proceedings relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities under any applicable bankruptcy, civil rehabilitation, reorganization, insolvency or other similar law, or in case a receiver, assignee or trustee in bankruptcy, civil rehabilitation, reorganization or insolvency, or a liquidator, sequestrator or similar official shall have been appointed for or taken possession of the Company or its property or such other obligor, or in case of any other comparable judicial proceedings relative to the Company or other obligor upon the Securities of any series, or to the creditors or property of the Company or such other obligor, the Trustee, irrespective of whether the principal of any Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand pursuant to the provisions of this Section, shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such judicial proceedings or otherwise:

 

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(a) to file and prove a claim or claims for the whole amount of principal and interest (or, if the Securities of any series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such series) owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities of any series, and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for reasonable compensation to the Trustee, and its agents, attorneys and counsel, and for reimbursement of all liabilities and reasonable expenses incurred, and all advances made, by the Trustee, except as a result of negligence or bad faith) and of the Securityholders allowed in any judicial proceedings relative to the Company or other obligor upon the Securities of any series, or to the creditors or property of the Company or such other obligor,

(b) unless prohibited by applicable law and regulations, to vote on behalf of the holders of the Securities of any series in any election of a trustee or a standby trustee or receiver or standby receiver in arrangement, reorganization, liquidation or other bankruptcy, civil rehabilitation, reorganization or insolvency proceedings or person performing similar functions in comparable proceedings, and

(c) to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims, and to distribute all amounts received with respect to the claims of the Securityholders and of the Trustee on their behalf; and any trustee, receiver, or liquidator, custodian or other similar official is hereby authorized by each of the Securityholders to make payments to the Trustee, and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of payments directly to the Securityholders, to pay to the Trustee such amounts as shall be sufficient to cover reasonable compensation to the Trustee, and its agents, attorneys and counsel, and liabilities and reasonable expenses incurred, and all advances made, by the Trustee except as a result of negligence or bad faith.

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or vote for or accept or adopt on behalf of any Securityholder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities of any series or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Securityholder in any such proceeding, except, as aforesaid, to vote for the election of a trustee in bankruptcy or similar person.

All rights of action and of asserting claims under this Indenture, or under any of the Securities, may be enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or the production thereof in any trial or other proceedings relative thereto, and any such action or proceedings instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as Trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment, subject to the payment of the expenses, disbursements and compensation of the Trustee and its respective agents and attorneys, shall be for the ratable benefit of the holders of the Securities in respect of which such action was taken.

 

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In any proceedings brought by the Trustee (and also any proceedings involving the interpretation of any provision of this Indenture to which the Trustee shall be a party) the Trustee shall be held to represent all the holders of the Securities in respect to which such action was taken, and it shall not be necessary to make any holders of such Securities parties to any such proceedings.

Section 4.03. Application of Proceeds. Any moneys collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article in respect of any series shall be applied in the following order at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such moneys on account of principal or interest, upon presentation of the several Securities in respect of which monies have been collected and stamping (or otherwise noting) thereon the payment, or issuing Securities of such series in reduced principal amounts in exchange for the presented Securities of like series if only partially paid, or upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

FIRST: Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to the payment of costs, fees and expenses (including indemnity payments) applicable to such series in respect of which monies have been collected, including reasonable compensation to the Trustee, the Registrar, any Paying Agent and their respective agents and attorneys and of all liabilities and reasonable expenses incurred, and all advances made, by the Trustee, and any Paying Agent;

SECOND: In case the principal of the Securities of such series in respect of which moneys have been collected shall not have become and be then due and payable, to the payment of interest on the Securities of such series in default in the order of the maturity of the installments of such interest, with interest (to the extent that such interest has been collected by the Trustee) upon the overdue installments of interest at the same rate as the rate of interest or Yield to Maturity (in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities) specified in such Securities, such payments to be made ratably to the persons entitled thereto, without discrimination or preference;

THIRD: In case the principal of the Securities of such series in respect of which moneys have been collected shall have become and shall be then due and payable, to the payment of the whole amount then owing and unpaid upon all the Securities of such series for principal and interest, with interest upon the overdue principal, and (to the extent that such interest has been collected by the Trustee) upon overdue installments of interest at the same rate as the rate of interest or Yield to Maturity (in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities) specified in the Securities of such series; and in case such moneys shall be insufficient to pay in full the whole amount so due and unpaid upon the Securities of such series, then to the payment of such principal and interest or Yield to Maturity, without preference or priority of principal over interest or Yield to Maturity, or of interest or Yield to Maturity over principal, or of any installment of interest over any other installment of interest, or of any Security of such series over any other Security of such series, ratably to the aggregate of such principal and accrued and unpaid interest or Yield to Maturity; and

FOURTH: To the payment of the remainder, if any, to the Company or any other person lawfully entitled thereto.

 

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Section 4.04. Suits for Enforcement. In case an Event of Default has occurred, has not been waived and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce the rights vested in it by this Indenture by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any of such rights, either at law or in equity or in bankruptcy or otherwise, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted in this Indenture or to enforce any other legal or equitable right vested in the Trustee by this Indenture or by law. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trustee acknowledges, accepts, consents and agrees, for a period of 30 days from and including the date upon which the Prime Minister confirms that specified item 2 measures (tokutei dai nigo sochi) set forth in Article 126-2, Paragraph 1, Item 2 of the Deposit Insurance Act of Japan (Act No. 34 of 1971, as amended, the “Deposit Insurance Act”) (or any successor provision thereto) need to be applied to the Company, not to initiate any action to attach any assets of the Company, the attachment of which has been prohibited by designation of the Prime Minister pursuant to Article 126-16 of the Deposit Insurance Act (or any successor provision thereto).

Section 4.05. Restoration of Rights on Abandonment of Proceeding. In case the Trustee or any Holder of a Security shall have proceeded to enforce any right under this Indenture and such proceedings shall have been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or shall have been determined adversely to the Trustee or such Securityholder, then and in every such case the Company and the Trustee or such Securityholder shall be restored respectively to their former positions and rights hereunder, and all rights, remedies and powers of the Company, the Trustee and the Securityholders shall continue as though no such proceedings had been taken.

Section 4.06. Limitations on Suits by Securityholders. No Holder of any Security of any series shall have any right by virtue or by availing of any provision of this Indenture to institute any action or proceeding at law or in equity or in bankruptcy or otherwise upon or under or with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official or for any other remedy hereunder, except actions for payment of overdue principal and interest, unless such Holder previously shall have given to the Trustee written notice of an Event of Default and of the continuance thereof, as hereinbefore provided, and unless also the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the affected series then Outstanding (each such series treated as a single class) shall have made written request upon the Trustee to institute such action or proceedings in its own name as Trustee hereunder and shall have offered to the Trustee such indemnity and/or security to its satisfaction as it may require against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred therein or thereby, the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity and/or security satisfactory to it shall have failed to institute any such action or proceeding, and no direction inconsistent with such written request shall have been given to the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.09; it being understood and intended, and being expressly covenanted by the taker and Holder of every Security with every other taker and Holder and the Trustee, that no one or more Holders of Securities of any series shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue or by availing of any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other such Holder of Securities, or to obtain or seek to obtain priority over or preference to any other such Holder or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal, ratable and common benefit of all Holders of Securities of the applicable series. For the protection and enforcement of the provisions of this Section, each and every Securityholder and the Trustee shall be entitled to such relief as can be given either at law or in equity. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Holder of a Security acknowledges, accepts, consents and agrees, for a period of 30 days from and including the date the Prime Minister confirms that specified item 2 measures (tokutei dai nigo sochi) set forth in Article 126-2, Paragraph 1, Item 2 of the Deposit Insurance Act (or any successor provision thereto) need to be applied to the Company, not to initiate any action to attach any assets of the Company, the attachment of which has been prohibited by designation of the Prime Minister pursuant to Article 126-16 of the Deposit Insurance Act (or any successor provision thereto).

 

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The Company shall, as soon as practicable after the Prime Minister has confirmed that specified item 2 measures (tokutei dai nigo sochi) set forth in Article 126-2, Paragraph 1, Item 2 of the Deposit Insurance Act (or any successor provision thereto) need to be applied to the Company, deliver a written notice of such event to the Trustee and the Holders through the Clearing Organization. Any failure or delay by the Company to provide such written notice shall not change or delay the effect of the acknowledgement, acceptance, consent and agreement of the Holders described in the preceding paragraph or of the Trustee described in Section 4.04. The Trustee shall be entitled to rely conclusively upon such notification of the Company (without further investigation or enquiry) and shall not be liable to any person for so accepting and relying on such notification.

Section 4.07. Unconditional Right of Securityholders to Institute Certain Suits. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture and any provision of any Security, the right of any Holder of any Security to receive payment of the principal of and interest on such Security (subject to Section 3.01 hereof) on or after the respective due dates expressed in such Security, or to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder.

Section 4.08. Powers and Remedies Cumulative; Delay or Omission Not Waiver of Default. Except as provided in Section 4.06 and except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities in the last paragraph of Section 2.09, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Securityholders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Securityholder to exercise any right or power accruing upon any Event of Default occurring and continuing as aforesaid shall impair any such right or power or shall be construed to be a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein; and, subject to Section 4.06, every power and remedy given by this Indenture or by law to the Trustee or to the Securityholders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as shall be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Securityholders.

Section 4.09. Control by Securityholders. The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of each series affected (with all such series voting as a single class) at the time Outstanding shall have the right to direct the time, method, and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series by this Indenture; provided that such direction shall be in writing and accompanied by indemnity and/or security satisfactory to the Trustee and shall not be otherwise than in accordance with law and the provisions of this Indenture and provided further that (subject to the provisions of Section 5.01) the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, shall determine that the action or proceeding so directed may not lawfully be taken or if the Trustee has not received indemnity and/or security satisfactory to it in its sole discretion, or if the Trustee in good faith shall determine that the action or proceedings so directed would involve the Trustee in personal liability or if the Trustee in good faith shall so determine that the actions or forbearances specified in or pursuant to such direction would be unduly prejudicial to the interests of Holders of the Securities of all series so affected not joining in the giving of said direction, it being understood that (subject to Section 5.01) the Trustee shall have no duty to ascertain whether or not such actions or forbearances are unduly prejudicial to such Holders.

 

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Nothing in this Indenture shall impair the right of the Trustee in its discretion to take any action deemed proper by the Trustee and which is not inconsistent with such direction or directions by Securityholders.

Section 4.10. Waiver of Past Defaults. Prior to the acceleration of the maturity of any Securities as provided in Section 4.01, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of all series at the time Outstanding with respect to which an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing (voting as a single class) may on behalf of the Holders of all such Securities waive any past default or Event of Default described in Section 4.01 and its consequences, except a default in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Security affected. In the case of any such waiver, the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of all such Securities shall be restored to their former positions and rights hereunder, respectively; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist and be deemed to have been cured and not to have occurred, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, and not to have occurred for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 4.11. Trustee to Give Notice of Default. The Trustee shall give to the Securityholders of any series, as the names and addresses of such Holders appear on the Register, notice by mail (or by other means provided in a supplemental indenture hereto or the Board Resolution under which such series of Securities is issued or in the form of Security for such series) of all defaults known to the Trustee which have occurred with respect to such series, such notice to be transmitted within 90 days after the occurrence thereof, unless such defaults shall have been cured before the giving of such notice (the term “default” or “defaults” for the purposes of this Section being hereby defined to mean any event or condition which is, or with notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default).

Section 4.12. Right of Court to Require Filing of Undertaking to Pay Costs. All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Securityholder or group of Securityholders of any series holding in the aggregate more than 10% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series, or, in the case of any suit relating to or arising under Section 4.01(b) (if the suit relates to Securities of more than one but less than all series), 10% in aggregate principal amount of Securities Outstanding affected thereby, or in the case of any suit relating to or arising under Section 4.01(b) (if the suit relates to all the Securities then Outstanding), Section 4.01(c), 10% in aggregate principal amount of all Securities Outstanding, or to any suit instituted by any Securityholder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of or interest on any Security on or after the due date expressed in such Security.

 

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Section 4.13. Judgment Currency. The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal of or interest on the Securities of any series (the “Required Currency”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “Judgment Currency”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the day following the date on which final unappealable judgment is entered, unless such day is not a New York Banking Day, then, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (1) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with subsection (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (2) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (3) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture. If the Required Currency so purchased with the Judgment Currency are greater than the sum originally due in the Required Currency hereunder, the Trustee shall pay to the Company an amount equal to the excess of the Required Currency so purchased over the sum originally due in the Required Currency hereunder in accordance with a written request from the Company stating the amount of the excess. For purposes of the foregoing, “New York Banking Day” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or required by law or executive order to close.

Section 4.14. Limited Right of Set-Off. Subject to applicable law, each Holder of the Securities agrees, by the acceptance of any interest in a Security, that, if (a) the Company shall institute proceedings seeking adjudication of its bankruptcy or seeking reorganization under the Bankruptcy Act, the Civil Rehabilitation Act, the Corporate Reorganization Act, the Companies Act or any other similar applicable law of Japan, and so long as such proceedings shall have continued, or a decree or order by any court having jurisdiction shall have been issued adjudging the Company bankrupt or insolvent or approving a petition seeking reorganization under any such laws, and as long as such decree or order shall have continued undischarged or unstayed, or (b) the Prime Minister confirms that specified item 2 measures (tokutei dai nigo sochi) need to be applied to the Company, the Holder of the Securities will not, and waives its rights to, exercise, claim or plead any right of set off, compensation or retention in respect of any amount owed to the Holder of the Securities by the Company arising under, or in connection with the Securities of any series or this Indenture.

 

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ARTICLE 5

CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE

Section 5.01. Duties and Responsibilities of the Trustee; During Default; Prior to Default. With respect to the Holders of any series of Securities issued hereunder, the Trustee, prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of a particular series and after the curing or waiving of all Events of Default which may have occurred with respect to such series, undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture. In case an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of a series has occurred (which has not been cured or waived) the Trustee shall exercise with respect to such series of Securities such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.

No provision of this Indenture shall be construed to relieve the Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that

(a) prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of any series and after the curing or waiving of all such Events of Default with respect to such series which may have occurred:

(i) the duties and obligations of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Indenture, and the Trustee shall not be liable except for its negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Indenture, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and

(ii) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Trustee, the Trustee may conclusively rely, and act as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any statements, certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming with the requirements of this Indenture; but in the case of any such statements, certificates or opinions which by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of the mathematical calculations therein);

 

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(b) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Responsible Officers of the Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts; and

(c) the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders pursuant to Section 4.09 relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture.

None of the provisions contained in this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if there shall be reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity and/or security satisfactory to it in its sole discretion against such liability is not reasonably assured to it.

The provisions of this Section 5.01 are in furtherance of and subject to Section 315 and Section 316 of the Trust Indenture Act.

Section 5.02. Certain Rights of the Trustee. In furtherance of and subject to the Trust Indenture Act, and subject to Section 5.01:

(a) in the absence of negligence or bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, Officer’s Certificate or any other certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, coupon, security or other paper or document reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

(b) any request, direction, order or demand of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officer’s Certificate (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed); and any Board Resolution may be evidenced to the Trustee by a copy thereof certified by a Responsible Officer of the Company;

(c) the Trustee may consult with counsel, financial advisors and other experts and any written advice or Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice or Opinion of Counsel;

(d) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the trusts or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request, order or direction of any of the Securityholders pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture, unless such Securityholders shall have offered to the Trustee security and/or indemnity satisfactory to it in its sole discretion against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred therein or thereby;

 

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(e) the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and believed by it to be authorized or within the discretion, rights or powers conferred upon it by this Indenture;

(f) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, approval, appraisal, bond, debenture, note, coupon, security, or other paper or document unless requested in writing so to do by the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of all series affected then outstanding; provided that, if the payment within a reasonable time to the Trustee of the costs, expenses or liabilities likely to be incurred by it in the making of such investigation is, in the opinion of the Trustee, not reasonably assured to the Trustee by the security afforded to it by the terms of this Indenture, the Trustee may require indemnity and/or security satisfactory to it against such expenses or liabilities as a condition to proceeding; and the reasonable expenses of every such investigation shall be paid by the Company or, if paid by the Trustee, shall be repaid by the Company upon demand;

(g) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, delegates or attorneys not regularly in its employ and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any loss, liability, cost, claim, action, demand or expense incurred by reason of omissions, misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent, delegate or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder;

(h) the Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice of any Event of Default (other than a payment default under Section 4.01(a)) unless written notice of any event which is in fact such a default or Event of Default is received by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee at the Specified Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and such notice references the Securities and this Indenture; delivery to the Trustee of Company financial reports shall not be deemed to constitute actual knowledge or constructive knowledge by the Trustee of its contents or notice of a default or Event of Default;

(i) the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, The Bank of New York Mellon in each of its other capacities hereunder (including, as of the date of this Indenture, the Paying Agent and the Registrar), and each agent, custodian and other Person employed to act hereunder;

(j) the Trustee may request that (and shall be entitled to receive) the Company deliver an Officer’s Certificate setting forth the names of the respective individuals and titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture with their specimen signatures, which Officer’s Certificate may be signed by any other person authorized to sign an Officer’s Certificate, including any person specified as so authorized in any such certificate previously delivered and not superseded;

(k) the permissive rights of the Trustee enumerated herein shall not be construed as duties;

 

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(l) in no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for special, indirect, punitive or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited to, loss of profit) whether or not foreseeable irrespective of whether the Trustee was advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action. The provisions of this Section 5.02(l) shall survive the termination or discharge of this Indenture and the resignation or removal of the Trustee;

(m) the Trustee shall not be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations under this Indenture arising out of or caused, directly or indirectly, by circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including without limitation, acts of God; earthquakes; fires; floods; wars; civil or military disturbances; sabotage; epidemics; riots; interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, computer (hardware or software) or communications service; accidents; labor disputes; acts of civil or military authority or governmental actions; acts of terrorism; failure of any money transmission currency exchange or SWIFT system; it being understood that the Trustee shall use its best efforts to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances; and

(n) no provision herein shall require the Trustee to do anything which may be illegal or contrary to applicable law or regulation.

Section 5.03. Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals, Disposition of Securities or Application of Proceeds Thereof. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificates of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for the correctness of the same. The Trustee makes no representation as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of any of the Securities or of the proceeds thereof, nor for the action or inaction of any Clearing Organization.

Section 5.04. Trustee and Agents May Hold Securities; Collections, etc. The Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee or such agent and may otherwise deal with the Company and receive, collect, hold and retain collections from the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee or such agent.

Section 5.05. Moneys Held by Trustee. Subject to the provisions of Section 9.03 hereof, all moneys received by the Trustee shall, until used or applied as herein provided, be held in trust for the purposes for which they were received, but need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of law. Neither the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be under any liability for interest on any moneys received by it hereunder, nor have any responsibility to invest such moneys, except as otherwise agreed in writing by the Trustee with the Company.

 

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Section 5.06. Compensation and Indemnification of Trustee and its Prior Claim. The Company covenants and agrees to pay to the Trustee from time to time, and the Trustee shall be entitled to, such reasonable compensation as the Company and the Trustee shall from time to time agree in writing (which shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust) and the Company covenants and agrees to pay or reimburse the Trustee and each predecessor trustee upon its request for all properly incurred expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by or on behalf of it in accordance with any of the provisions of this Indenture (including, subject to Section 5.02(g) hereof, the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its counsel and of all agents and other persons not regularly in its employ) except to the extent any such expense, disbursement or advance may arise from its negligence or bad faith as determined in a final non-appealable judgment or order by a court of competent jurisdiction. The Company also covenants to indemnify the Trustee, which for purposes of this Section 5.06 shall be deemed to include the Trustee’s directors, officers, employees and agents, and each predecessor trustee (and their respective officers, employees, directors and agents) for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense (including taxes other than taxes based upon the net income of the Trustee) arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Indenture or the trusts hereunder and the performance of its duties hereunder, including the properly incurred costs and expenses (including the properly incurred fees, charges and expenses of its agents and counsel) of defending itself against or investigating any claim of liability arising out of or in connection with the same, except to the extent such loss, liability or expense may be attributable to the negligence or bad faith of the Trustee, its agents, officers, directors or employees or such predecessor trustee, in each case as determined in a final non-appealable judgment or order by a court of competent jurisdiction. The obligations of the Company under this Section to compensate and indemnify the Trustee and each predecessor trustee and to pay or reimburse the Trustee and each predecessor trustee for expenses, disbursements and advances shall constitute additional indebtedness hereunder and shall survive the resignation or removal of the Trustee and the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture. Such additional indebtedness shall be a senior claim to that of the Securities upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds held in trust for the benefit of the holders of particular Securities, and the Securities are hereby subordinated to such senior claim.

When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services in connection with an Event of Default specified in Section 4.01(c), the expenses (including the properly incurred fees and expenses of its agents and counsel) and the compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law.

The Trustee’s remuneration and that of its agents and counsel is exclusive of value-added tax or any similar tax, which if applicable is also payable by the Company to the Trustee. All remuneration payable to the Trustee shall accrue interest from the date when payment was due. All amounts payable to the Trustee shall be made without set-off, counterclaim, deduction or withholding unless required by law (other than taxes based upon, measured by or determined by the income of the Trustee), in which case the Company shall gross up such payments to the Trustee.

The indemnity set forth herein shall survive final payment in full of the Securities, the termination of this Indenture, and the resignation or removal of the Trustee or any agent hereunder.

 

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Section 5.07. Right of Trustee to Rely on Officer’s Certificate, etc. Subject to Sections 5.01 and 5.02, whenever in the administration of the trusts of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it necessary or desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking or suffering or omitting any action hereunder, such matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of negligence or bad faith on the part of the Trustee, be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by an Officer’s Certificate and/or an Opinion of Counsel delivered to the Trustee, and such certificate, in the absence of negligence or bad faith on the part of the Trustee, shall be full warrant to the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it under the provisions of this Indenture to the extent of the Trustee’s reliance thereupon.

Section 5.08. Persons Eligible for Appointment as Trustee. The Trustee for each series of Securities hereunder shall at all times be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000, and which is eligible in accordance with the provisions of Section 310(a) of the Trust Indenture Act. If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of a Federal, State or District of Columbia supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time the Trustee or any trustee hereafter appointed shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in Section 5.09.

Section 5.09. Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor Trustee. (a) The Trustee, or any trustee or trustees hereafter appointed, may at any time resign with respect to one or more or all series of Securities by giving 60 days written notice of resignation to the Company and by mailing notice thereof by first-class mail to Holders of the applicable series of Securities at their last addresses as they shall appear on the Register or otherwise providing notice to Holders in the manner applicable to the Securities of each series. Upon receiving such notice of resignation, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor trustee or trustees with respect to the applicable series by written instrument in duplicate, executed by authority of the Board, one copy of which instrument shall be delivered to the resigning Trustee and one copy to the successor trustee or trustees. If no successor trustee shall have been so appointed with respect to any series and have accepted appointment within 30 days after the mailing of such notice of resignation or removal (as the case may be), the resigning trustee may, on behalf of and at the expense of the Company, appoint its successor or the resigning Trustee, or the Company may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor trustee, or any Securityholder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security or Securities of the applicable series for at least six months may, subject to the provisions of Section 4.12, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any such court for the appointment of a successor trustee. Such court may thereupon, after such notice, if any, as it may deem proper and prescribe, appoint a successor trustee.

 

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(b) In case at any time any of the following shall occur:

(i) the Trustee shall fail to comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act with respect to any series of Securities and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by any Securityholder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security or Securities of such series for at least six months; or

(ii) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of Section 310(a) of the Trust Indenture Act and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by any Securityholder; or

(iii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting with respect to any series of Securities, or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent, or a receiver or liquidator of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed, or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation;

then, in any such case, the Company shall remove the Trustee with respect to the applicable series of Securities and appoint a successor trustee for such series by written instrument, in duplicate, executed by order of the Board, one copy of which instrument shall be delivered to the Trustee so removed and one copy to the successor trustee, or, subject to Section 315(e) of the Trust Indenture Act, any Securityholder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security or Securities of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor trustee with respect to such series. Such court may thereupon, after such notice, if any, as it may deem proper and prescribe, remove the Trustee and appoint a successor trustee.

(c) The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of each series at the time Outstanding may at any time remove the Trustee with respect to Securities of such series and appoint a successor trustee with respect to the Securities of such series by delivering to the Trustee so removed, to the successor trustee so appointed and to the Company the evidence provided for in Section 6.01 of the action in that regard taken by the Securityholders.

(d) Any resignation or removal of the Trustee with respect to any series and any appointment of a successor trustee with respect to such series pursuant to any of the provisions of this Section 5.09 shall become effective upon acceptance of appointment by the successor trustee as provided in Section 5.10.

Section 5.10. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor Trustee. Any successor trustee appointed as provided in Section 5.09 shall execute and deliver to the Company and to its predecessor trustee an instrument accepting such appointment hereunder, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the predecessor trustee with respect to all or any applicable series shall become effective and such successor trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all rights, powers, duties and obligations with respect to such series of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as trustee for such series hereunder; but, nevertheless, on the written request of the Company or of the successor trustee, upon payment of its charges then unpaid, the trustee ceasing to act shall, subject to Section 9.03, pay over to the successor trustee all moneys at the time held by it hereunder and shall execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor trustee all such rights, powers, duties and obligations. Upon request of any such successor trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments in writing for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor trustee all such rights and powers. Any trustee ceasing to act shall, nevertheless, retain a prior claim upon all property or funds held or collected by such trustee to secure any amounts then due it pursuant to the provisions of Section 5.06.

 

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If a successor trustee is appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the predecessor trustee and each successor trustee with respect to the Securities of any applicable series shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto which shall contain such provisions as (i) shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, each successor trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor trustee relates, (ii) shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the predecessor trustee with respect to the Securities of any series as to which the predecessor trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the predecessor trustee, and (iii) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such trustees co-trustees of the same trust and that each such trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts under separate indentures; and upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture the resignation or removal of the predecessor trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein and such successor trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all rights, powers, duties and obligations with respect to such series of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as trustee for such series hereunder; but, nevertheless, on the written request of the Company or of the successor trustee, upon payment of its charges then unpaid, the trustee ceasing to act shall, subject to Section 9.03, pay over to the successor trustee all moneys at the time held by it hereunder and shall execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor trustee all such rights, powers, duties and obligations.

No successor trustee shall accept its appointment unless at the time of such acceptance such successor trustee for the Securities of any series is eligible pursuant to Section 5.08 hereof.

Upon acceptance of appointment by any successor trustee as provided in this Section 5.10, the Company shall mail notice thereof by first-class mail to the Holders of Securities of any series for which such successor trustee is acting as trustee at their last addresses as they shall appear in the Register or shall otherwise provide notice thereof to Holders in the manner applicable to the Securities of each series. If the acceptance of appointment is substantially contemporaneous with the resignation, then the notice called for by the preceding sentence may be combined with the notice called for by Section 5.09. If the Company fails to mail or provide such notice within ten days after acceptance of appointment by the successor trustee, the successor trustee shall cause such notice to be mailed or provided at the expense of the Company.

 

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Section 5.11. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business of Trustee. Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, provided that such corporation shall be eligible under the provisions of Section 5.08, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto, anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding.

In case at the time such successor to the Trustee shall succeed to the trusts created by this Indenture and any of the Securities of any series shall have been authenticated but not delivered, any such successor to the Trustee may adopt the certificate of authentication of any predecessor trustee and deliver such Securities so authenticated; and, in case at that time any of the Securities of any series shall not have been authenticated, any successor to the Trustee may authenticate such Securities either in the name of any predecessor hereunder or in the name of the successor trustee; and in all such cases such certificate shall have the full force which it is anywhere in the Securities of such series or in this Indenture provided that the certificate of the Trustee shall have; provided, that the right to adopt the certificate of authentication of any predecessor trustee or to authenticate Securities of any series in the name of any predecessor trustee shall apply only to its successor or successors by merger, conversion or consolidation.

Section 5.12. Conflicting Interests. The Trustee for the Securities shall be subject to the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act during the period of time required thereby. Nothing herein shall prevent the Trustee from filing with the Commission the application referred to in the penultimate paragraph of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act. In determining whether the Trustee has a conflicting interest as defined in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act with respect to the Securities of any series, there shall be excluded Securities of any particular series of Securities other than that series.

Section 5.13. Appointment of Authenticating Agent. The Trustee may appoint an Authenticating Agent or agents with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of such series, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent. Each Authenticating Agent shall be acceptable to the Company and shall at all times be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to act as Authenticating Agent, having a combined capital and surplus of not less than $50,000,000 and subject to supervision or examination by Federal or State authority. If such Authenticating Agent publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of said supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such Authenticating Agent shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, such Authenticating Agent shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.

 

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Any corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate agency or corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent, shall continue to be an Authenticating Agent, provided such corporation shall be otherwise eligible under this Section, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent.

An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Trustee and to the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof to such Authenticating Agent and to the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall mail written notice of such appointment by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to all Holders of Securities of the series with respect to which such Authenticating Agent will serve, as their names and addresses appear in the Register of the Company.

Any successor Authenticating Agent upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.

The Company agrees to pay to each Authenticating Agent from time to time such reasonable compensation for its services under this Section as may be agreed between the Company and such Authenticating Agent.

If an appointment with respect to one or more series is made pursuant to this Section, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in addition to the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of authentication in the following form:

Certificate of Authentication:

This is one of the Securities of the series designated herein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

Date:                     

       
       

The Bank of New York Mellon

as Trustee

        By:  

 

          Name:
          Title:

 

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Section 5.14. Reports by the Trustee. Any Trustee’s report required under Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act shall be transmitted on or before April 1 in each year following the date hereof, so long as any Securities are Outstanding hereunder, and shall be dated as of a date convenient to the Trustee no more than 60 nor less than 45 days prior thereto. A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission to Holders, be filed by the Trustee with any securities exchange in the United States on which any Securities are listed, with the Commission and with the Company.

ARTICLE 6

CONCERNING THE SECURITYHOLDERS

Section 6.01. Evidence of Action Taken by Securityholders. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by a specified percentage in principal amount of the Securityholders of any or all series may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such specified percentage of Securityholders in person or by agent duly appointed in writing; and, except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered to the Trustee. Proof of execution of any instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Sections 5.01 and 5.02) conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Article.

Section 6.02. Proof of Execution of Instruments and of Holding of Securities; Record Date. Subject to Sections 5.01 and 5.02, the execution of any instrument by a Securityholder or his agent or proxy may be proved in accordance with such reasonable rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Trustee or in such manner as shall be satisfactory to the Trustee. The holding of Securities shall be proved by the Register or by a certificate of the Registrar thereof. The Company may set a record date for purposes of determining the identity of holders of Securities of any series entitled to vote or consent to any action referred to in Section 6.01, which record date may be set at any time or from time to time by notice to the Trustee, for any date or dates (in the case of any adjournment or reconsideration) not more than 60 days nor less than ten days prior to the proposed date of such vote or consent, and thereafter, notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, only holders of Securities of such series of record on such record date shall be entitled to so vote or give such consent or revoke such vote or consent.

Section 6.03. Holders to be Treated as Owners. The Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may deem and treat the person in whose name any Security shall be registered upon the Register for such series as the absolute owner of such Security (whether or not such Security shall be overdue and notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing thereon) for the purpose of receiving payment of or on account of the principal of and, subject to the provisions of this Indenture, interest on such Security and for all other purposes; and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by any notice to the contrary. All such payments so made to any such person, or upon his order, shall be valid, and, to the extent of the sum or sums so paid, effectual to satisfy and discharge the liability for moneys payable upon any such Security.

 

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Section 6.04. Securities Owned by Company Deemed Not Outstanding. In determining whether the Holders of the requisite aggregate principal amount of Outstanding Securities of any or all series have concurred in any direction, consent or waiver under this Indenture, Securities which are owned by the Company or any other obligor on the Securities with respect to which such determination is being made or by any person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Company or any other obligor on the Securities with respect to which such determination is being made shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding for the purpose of any such determination, except that for the purpose of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such direction, consent or waiver only Securities in respect of which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has received written notice shall be so disregarded. Securities held by any depositary or other custodial arrangement established by or on behalf of the Company shall be regarded as Outstanding if the beneficial interest therein is not owned by the Company or any other obligor on such Securities or by any Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Company or any other obligor on such Securities. Securities so owned which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Company or any other obligor on the Securities. In case of a dispute as to such right, the advice of counsel shall be full protection in respect of any reasonable decision made by the Trustee in accordance with such advice. Upon request of the Trustee, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee promptly an Officer’s Certificate listing and identifying all Securities, if any, known by the Company to be owned or held by or for the account of any of the above-described persons; and, subject to Sections 5.01 and 5.02, the Trustee shall be entitled to accept such Officer’s Certificate as conclusive evidence of the facts therein set forth and of the fact that all Securities not listed therein are Outstanding for the purpose of any such determination.

Section 6.05. Right of Revocation of Action Taken. At any time prior to (but not after) the evidencing to the Trustee, as provided in Section 6.01, of the taking of any action by the Holders of the percentage in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of any or all series, as the case may be, specified in this Indenture in connection with such action, any Holder of a Security the serial number of which is shown by the evidence to be included among the serial numbers of the Securities the Holders of which have consented to such action may, by filing written notice at the Corporate Trust Office and upon proof of holding as provided in this Article, revoke such action so far as concerns such Security. Except as aforesaid, any such action taken by the Holder of any Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders and owners of such Security and of any Securities issued in exchange or substitution therefor or on registration of transfer thereof, irrespective of whether or not any notation in regard thereto is made upon any such Security. Any action taken by the Holders of the percentage in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of any or all series, as the case may be, specified in this Indenture in connection with such action shall be conclusively binding upon the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of all the Securities affected by such action.

 

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ARTICLE 7

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

Section 7.01. Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Securityholders. The Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee may, from time to time, and at any time enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for one or more of the following purposes:

(a) to evidence the succession of another legal entity to the Company, or successive successions, and the assumption by a successor legal entity of the covenants, agreements and obligations of the Company pursuant to Article 8;

(b) to add to the covenants of the Company such further covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions as the Company shall consider to be for the protection of the Holders of Securities, and to make the occurrence, or the occurrence and continuance, of a default in any such additional covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions an Event of Default permitting the enforcement of all or any of the several remedies provided in this Indenture as herein set forth; provided, that in respect of any such additional covenant, restriction, condition or provision such supplemental indenture may provide for a particular period of grace after default (which period may be shorter or longer than that allowed in the case of other defaults) or may provide for an immediate enforcement upon such an Event of Default or may limit the remedies available to the Trustee upon such an Event of Default or may limit the right of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series to waive such an Event of Default;

(c) to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision contained herein or in any supplemental indenture which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision contained herein or in any supplemental indenture; or to make such other provisions in regard to matters or questions arising under this Indenture or under any supplemental indenture as the Board may deem necessary or desirable and which shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of the Securities in any material respect;

(d) to add to, change or eliminate any of the provisions (other than as noted in Section 7.02) of this Indenture, provided, however, that any such addition, change or elimination shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of the Securities in any material respect;

(e) to establish the form or terms of Securities of any series as permitted by Section 2.01 and Section 2.03; or

(f) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 5.10.

 

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The Trustee is hereby authorized to join with the Company in the execution of any such supplemental indenture, to make any further appropriate agreements and stipulations which may be therein contained and to accept the conveyance, transfer, assignment, mortgage or pledge of any property thereunder, but the Trustee shall not be obligated to enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

Any supplemental indenture authorized by the provisions of this Section may be executed without the consent of the Holders of any of the Securities at the time outstanding, notwithstanding any of the provisions of Section 7.02.

Section 7.02. Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Securityholders. With the consent (evidenced as provided in Article 6) of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding of all series affected by such supplemental indenture (with each such series voting as one class), the Company, when authorized by a resolution of its Board, and the Trustee may, from time to time and at any time, enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each such series; provided, that no such supplemental indenture shall (1) extend the final maturity of any Security or of any installment of principal of any such Security, (2) reduce the principal amount thereof, (3) reduce the rate or extend the time of payment of interest thereon, (4) reduce any amount payable on redemption thereof, (5) make the principal thereof (including any amount in respect of original issue discount premium), or interest thereon, payable in any coin or currency other than that provided in the Securities or in accordance with the terms thereof, (6) modify or amend any provisions for converting any currency into any other currency as provided in the Securities or in accordance with the terms of such Securities, (7) change the Company’s obligations to pay Additional Amounts established pursuant to Section 2.03(n) (if any), (8) reduce the amount of the principal of an Original Issue Discount Security that would be due and payable upon an acceleration of the maturity of such Security pursuant to Section 4.01 or the amount provable in bankruptcy pursuant to Section 4.02, impair the right to receive payment of the principal of and interest on any Securities on or after the respective dates for payment of principal or interest expressed in such Securities, or impair or affect the right of any Securityholder to institute suit for enforcement of the payment thereof or, if the Securities provide therefor, impair or affect any right of repayment at the option of the Securityholder, (9) modify or amend any provisions relating to the conversion or exchange of the Securities for securities of the Company or of other entities or other property (or the cash value thereof), including the determination of the amount of securities or other property (or cash) into which the Securities shall be converted or exchanged, other than as provided in the antidilution provisions or other similar adjustment provisions of the Securities or otherwise in accordance with the terms of such Securities, in each case without the consent of the Holder of each Security so affected, or (10) reduce the aforesaid percentage of Securities of any series or class, the consent of the Holders of which is required for any such supplemental indenture, without the consent of the Holders of each Security so affected.

A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture which has expressly been included solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or which modifies the rights of holders of Securities of such series, with respect to such covenant or provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the holders of Securities of any other series.

 

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Upon the request of the Company, accompanied by a copy of the Board Resolution certified by a Responsible Officer of the Company authorizing the execution of any such supplemental indenture, and upon the filing with the Trustee of evidence of the consent of Securityholders as aforesaid and other documents, if any, required by Section 6.01, the Trustee shall join with the Company in the execution of such supplemental indenture unless such supplemental indenture affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise, in which case the Trustee may in its discretion, but shall not be obligated to, enter into such supplemental indenture. The Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall be entitled to receive an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel with regard to any such supplemental indenture. The Trustee shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon such Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel in entering into such supplemental indenture. The Opinion of Counsel shall comply with Section 10.05 and confirm (inter alia) that the supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted under this Indenture, and that it is legal, valid, binding and enforceable against the Company under New York law.

It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Securityholders under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such consent shall approve the substance thereof.

Promptly after the execution by the Company and the Trustee of any supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Section, the Company shall give notice thereof by (a) first-class mail to the Holders of Securities of each series affected thereby at their addresses as they shall appear on the Register of the Company or (b) by any other means set forth in such supplemental indenture, setting forth in general terms the substance of such supplemental indenture. The Trustee shall assist the Company with the distribution of the notices to the Holders. Any failure of the Company to mail such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture.

Section 7.03. Effect of Supplemental Indenture. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions hereof, this Indenture shall be and be deemed to be modified and amended in accordance therewith and the respective rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities under this Indenture of the Trustee, the Company and the Holders of Securities of each series affected thereby shall thereafter be determined, exercised and enforced hereunder subject in all respects to such modifications and amendments, and all the terms and conditions of any such supplemental indenture shall be and be deemed to be part of the terms and conditions of this Indenture for any and all purposes.

Section 7.04. Documents to be Given to Trustee. The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Sections 5.01 and 5.02, shall be entitled to receive, in addition to the documents required by Section 10.05, an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel each stating that, and as conclusive evidence that, any supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article 7 complies with the applicable provisions of this Indenture.

 

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Section 7.05. Notation on Securities in Respect of Supplemental Indentures. Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Article may bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee for such series as to any matter provided for by such supplemental indenture or as to any action taken by Securityholders. If the Company or the Trustee shall so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Board, to any modification of this Indenture contained in any such supplemental indenture may be prepared by the Company, authenticated by the Trustee and delivered in exchange for the Securities of such series then Outstanding.

Section 7.06. Conformity with the Trust Indenture Act. Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article 7 shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

ARTICLE 8

CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE OR CONVEYANCE

Section 8.01. Company May Consolidate, etc., on Certain Terms. The Company covenants that it will not merge or consolidate with or merge into, or sell, assign, transfer, lease or convey all or substantially all of its properties or assets, in one or more related transactions, to another Person, other than consolidation, merger, sale, assignment, transfer, lease or conveyance which results in the Company being the surviving party, unless:

(a) the entity formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance or transfer the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety shall be a joint stock company (kabushiki kaisha) organized and existing under the laws of Japan and shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee for each series of Securities, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on all Securities and the performance of every covenant of this Indenture on the part of the Company to be performed or observed; and

(b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

The Company shall deliver to the Trustee before the consummation of such proposed transaction an Officer’s Certificate to the foregoing effect and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that (i) such merger, sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition and such supplemental indenture, comply with this Indenture, (ii) the surviving Person has duly executed and delivered the supplemental indenture and (iii) such supplemental indenture constitutes a valid and binding agreement of such Person, enforceable against such Person in accordance with its terms. The Trustee shall be entitled to rely conclusively upon such Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Holder of a Security and the Trustee acknowledges, accepts, consents and agrees to any transfer of the Company’s assets (including shares of the Company’s subsidiaries) or liabilities, or any portions thereof, with the permission of a Japanese court in accordance with Article 126-13 of the Deposit Insurance Act (or any successor provision thereto), including any such transfer made pursuant to the authority of the Deposit Insurance Corporation to represent and manage and dispose of the Company’s assets under Article 126-5 of the Deposit Insurance Act (or any successor provisions thereof), and that any such transfer shall not constitute a sale, assignment, transfer, lease or conveyance of all or substantially all of the Company’s properties or assets for the purpose of this Article 8.

 

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Section 8.02. Successor Substituted. In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale or conveyance, and following such an assumption by the successor legal entity, such successor legal entity shall succeed to and be substituted for the Company, with the same effect as if it had been named herein. Such successor legal entity may cause to be signed, and may issue either in its own name or in the name of the Company prior to such succession, any or all of the Securities issuable hereunder which theretofore shall not have been signed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee; and, upon the order of such successor legal entity instead of the Company and subject to all the terms, conditions and limitations in this Indenture prescribed, the Trustee shall authenticate and shall deliver any Securities which previously shall have been signed and delivered by the officers of the Company to the Trustee for authentication, and any Securities which such successor legal entity thereafter shall cause to be signed and delivered to the Trustee for that purpose. All of the Securities so issued shall in all respects have the same legal rank and benefit under this Indenture as the Securities theretofore or thereafter issued in accordance with the terms of this Indenture as though all of such Securities had been issued at the date of the execution hereof.

In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale, lease or conveyance such changes in phrasing and form (but not in substance) may be made in the Securities thereafter to be issued as may be appropriate.

In the event of any such sale or conveyance (other than a conveyance by way of lease) the Company or any successor legal entity which shall theretofore have become such in the manner described in this Article shall be discharged from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities and may be liquidated and dissolved.

Section 8.03. Opinion of Counsel to Trustee. The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 5.01 and Section 5.02, shall be entitled to receive an Opinion of Counsel, prepared in accordance with Section 10.05, as conclusive evidence that any such consolidation, merger, sale, lease or conveyance, and any such assumption, and any such liquidation or dissolution, complies with the applicable provisions of this Indenture.

ARTICLE 9

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE; UNCLAIMED MONEYS

Section 9.01. Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture. When (i) the Company has paid or caused to be paid the principal of and interest on all the Securities of any series Outstanding hereunder (other than Securities of such series which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 2.09) as and when the same shall have become due and payable, or (ii) the Company shall have delivered to the Paying Agent for cancellation all Securities of any series theretofore authenticated (other than any Securities of such series which shall have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which shall have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 2.09); this Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to Securities of such series, and the Trustee, on prior written demand of the Company accompanied by an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel and at the cost and expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging such satisfaction of and discharging this Indenture with respect to such series; provided, that the rights of Holders of the Securities to receive amounts in respect of principal of and interest on the Securities held by them shall not be delayed longer than required by then-applicable mandatory rules or policies of any securities exchange upon which the Securities are listed. The Company agrees to reimburse the Trustee for any costs or expenses thereafter properly incurred and to compensate the Trustee for any services thereafter properly rendered by the Trustee in connection with this Indenture or the Securities of such series.

 

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Section 9.02. Application by Trustee of Funds Deposited for Payment of Securities. Subject to Section 9.03 and any subordination provisions applicable to the Securities, all moneys deposited with the Trustee shall be held in trust and applied by it to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent), to the Holders of the particular Securities of such series for the payment or redemption of which such moneys have been deposited with the Trustee of all sums due and to become due thereon for principal and interest pursuant to such Securities and this Indenture; but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

Section 9.03. Repayment of Moneys Held by Paying Agent. In connection with the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to Securities of any series, all moneys then held by any Paying Agent under the provisions of this Indenture with respect to such series of Securities shall, upon demand of the Company, be repaid to it or paid to the Trustee and thereupon such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such moneys.

Section 9.04. Return of Moneys Held by Trustee and Paying Agent Unclaimed for Two Years. Any moneys deposited with or paid to the Trustee or any Paying Agent for the payment of the principal of or interest on any Security of any series and not applied but remaining unclaimed for two years after the date upon which such principal or interest shall have become due and payable, shall, upon the prior written request of the Company and unless otherwise required by mandatory provisions of applicable escheat or abandoned or unclaimed property law, be repaid to the Company by the Trustee for such series or such Paying Agent, and the Holder of the Security of such series shall, unless otherwise required by mandatory provisions of applicable escheat or abandoned or unclaimed property laws, thereafter look only to the Company for any payment which such Holder may be entitled to collect, and all liability of the Trustee or any Paying Agent with respect to such moneys shall thereupon cease.

 

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ARTICLE 10

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Section 10.01. Incorporators, Stockholders, Officers and Directors of Company Exempt from Individual Liability. No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture, or in any Security, or because of any indebtedness evidenced thereby, shall be had against any incorporator, as such, or against any past, present or future stockholder, member, officer, director or employee, as such, of the Company, or of any successor, either directly or through the Company or any successor, under any rule of law, statute or constitutional provision or by the enforcement of any assessment or by any legal or equitable proceeding or otherwise, all such liability being expressly waived and released by the acceptance of the Securities by the holders thereof and as part of the consideration for the issue of the Securities.

Section 10.02. Provisions of Indenture for the Sole Benefit of Parties and Securityholders. Nothing in this Indenture or in the Securities, expressed or implied, shall give or be construed to give to any Person other than the parties hereto and their successors and the Holders of the Securities, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture or under any covenant or provision herein contained, all such covenants and provisions being for the sole benefit of the parties hereto and their successors and of the Holders of the Securities.

Section 10.03. Successors and Assigns of Company Bound by Indenture. All the covenants, stipulations, promises and agreements in this Indenture contained by or on behalf of the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

Section 10.04. Notices and Demands on Company, Trustee and Securityholders. Any notice or demand which by any provision of this Indenture is required or permitted to be given or served by the Trustee or the Holders of Securities to or on the Company shall be in the English language and shall be given or served by being deposited postage prepaid, first-class or similar class mail (except as otherwise specifically provided herein) or by facsimile addressed (until another address of the Company is filed by the Company with the Trustee) at the following address:

Company:

Mizuho Financial Group, Inc.

1-5-5, Otemachi, Chiyoda-ku

Tokyo 100-8176

Japan

Attention: Senior Vice President of Global Markets Coordination Department

Fax: +81-3-3214-0790

Any notice, direction, request or demand by the Company or any Securityholder to or upon the Trustee shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given or made, for all purposes, if given or made in writing in the English language to its Corporate Trust Office at:

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

New York, NY 10286

U.S.A.

Attention: Corp Trust Administration – Mizuho Financial Group, Inc.

Fax: +1-212-815-5915

with a copy to:

The Bank of New York Mellon, Hong Kong Branch

Level 24, Three Pacific Place, 1 Queen’s Road East, Hong Kong

Attention: Corporate Trust – Mizuho Financial Group, Inc.

Fax: +852 2295-3283

 

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Where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of Registered Securities, such notice shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder entitled thereto, at his last address as it appears in the Register. In any case where notice to Holders is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders. Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders shall be filed with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.

In case, by reason of the suspension of or irregularities in regular mail service, it shall be impracticable to mail notice to the Company and Holders of Registered Securities when such notice is required to be given pursuant to any provision of this Indenture, then any manner of giving such notice as shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee shall be deemed to be a sufficient giving of such notice.

Any notice or demand will be deemed to have been sufficiently given or served when so sent or deposited and, if to the Holders, when delivered in accordance with the applicable rules and procedures of the Clearing Organization. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, any such notice, which are purported to be made to the beneficial owner of the Securities through the Clearing Organization, may be delivered to the Clearing Organization in a manner the Company deems appropriate, and shall be deemed to have been delivered on the day such notice is delivered to the Clearing Organization, or if by mail, when so sent or deposited.

Section 10.05. Officers Certificates and Opinions of Counsel; Statements to be Contained Therein. Upon any application or demand by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any of the provisions of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that in the opinion of such counsel all such conditions precedent have been complied with.

All such Officer’s Certificates and Opinions of Counsel shall be in English or accompanied by a certified translation.

Each certificate or opinion provided for in this Indenture and delivered to the Trustee with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include (a) a statement that the person making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition, (b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based, (c) a statement that, in the opinion of such person, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with and (d) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such person, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

 

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Any certificate, statement or opinion of an officer of the Company may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of or representations by counsel, unless such officer knows that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to the matters upon which his certificate, statement or opinion may be based as aforesaid are erroneous, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know that the same are erroneous. Any certificate, statement or opinion of counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, information with respect to which is in the possession of the Company, upon the certificate, statement or opinion of or representations by an officer of officers of the Company, unless such counsel knows that the certificate, statement or opinion or representations with respect to the matters upon which his certificate, statement or opinion may be based as aforesaid are erroneous, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know that the same are erroneous.

Any certificate, statement or opinion of an officer of the Company or of counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to accounting matters, upon a certificate or opinion of or representations by an accountant or firm of accountants in the employ of the Company, as the case may be, unless such officer or counsel, as the case may be, knows that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to the accounting matters upon which his certificate, statement or opinion may be based as aforesaid are erroneous, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know that the same are erroneous.

Section 10.06. Conflict of any Provision of Indenture with Trust Indenture Act. If and to the extent that any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision included in this Indenture by operation of Sections 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act (an “Incorporated Provision”), such Incorporated Provision shall control.

Section 10.07. New York Law to Govern. This Indenture and each Security shall be deemed to be a contract under the laws of the State of New York, and for all purposes shall be construed in accordance with the laws of such State.

Section 10.08. Counterparts. This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original; but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

Section 10.09. Effect of Headings. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

Section 10.10. Submission To Jurisdiction. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Company irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of any Federal or State court in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York, County and State of New York, United States of America, in any suit or proceeding based on or arising under this Indenture and the Securities, and irrevocably agrees that all claims in respect of such suit or proceeding may be determined in any such court. The Company, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, irrevocably and fully waives the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance of such suit or proceeding and hereby irrevocably designates and appoints Mizuho Bank, Ltd., with offices currently at 1251 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020, U.S.A., Attention: General Managers, Americas Legal and Compliance Department (the “Authorized Agent”), as its authorized agent upon whom process may be served in any such suit or proceeding. The Company represents that it has notified the Authorized Agent of such designation and appointment and that the Authorized Agent has accepted the same. The Company hereby irrevocably authorizes and directs its Authorized Agent to accept such service. The Company further agrees that service of process upon its Authorized Agent and written notice of said service to it mailed by first-class mail or delivered to the Company shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon it in any such suit or proceeding. Nothing herein shall affect the right of any person to serve process in any other manner permitted by law. The Company agrees that a final action in any such suit or proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other lawful manner.

 

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The Company hereby irrevocably waives, to the extent permitted by law, any immunity to jurisdiction to which it may otherwise be entitled (including, without limitation, immunity to pre-judgment attachment, post-judgment attachment and execution) in any legal suit, action or proceeding against it arising out of or based on this Indenture, the Securities or the transactions contemplated hereby.

The provisions of this Section 10.10 are intended to be effective upon the execution of this Indenture without any further action by the Company or the Trustee and the introduction of a true copy of this Indenture into evidence shall be conclusive and final evidence as to such matters.

Section 10.11. Non-Business Day. In any case where the date of payment of interest, redemption or stated maturity of a Security established in accordance with Section 2.03 shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment with respect to Securities of that series, then (unless otherwise specified in the Securities) payment of principal of and interest, if any, with respect to such Security need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the date of payment of interest, redemption or stated maturity of a Security established in accordance with Section 2.03, provided that no interest shall accrue for the period from and after such date of payment of interest, redemption or stated maturity of a Security, as the case may be.

Section 10.12. Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE SECURITIES OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

Section 10.13. Patriot Act. The parties hereto acknowledge that, in accordance with Section 326 of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, the “USA Patriot Act”), the Trustee, like all financial institutions, is required to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or legal entity that opens an account. The parties to this Indenture agree that they will provide the Trustee with such information as the Trustee may request in order for the Trustee to satisfy the requirements of the USA Patriot Act.

 

52


ARTICLE 11

REDEMPTION AND REPURCHASE OF SECURITIES

Section 11.01. Applicability of Article. The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to the Securities of any series which are redeemable before their maturity except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2.03 for Securities of such series.

Section 11.02. Optional Redemption Due to Changes in Tax Treatment. Unless otherwise established in accordance with Section 2.03, a series of Securities may, subject to the prior confirmation of the FSA (if and to the extent required under the then-applicable Japanese banking laws or regulations), be redeemed at the option of the Company, in whole but not in part, at any time, upon notice thereof given by the Company in accordance with Section 11.03, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Securities then outstanding (together with accrued and unpaid interest to (but excluding) the date fixed for redemption and Additional Amounts, if any), if, as a result of any change in, or amendment to, the laws (or any regulations or rulings promulgated thereunder) of Japan (or any political sub-division or taxing authority in or of Japan) affecting taxation, or any change in the official position regarding the application or interpretation of such laws, regulations or rulings (including a holding, judgment, or order by a court of competent jurisdiction), which change, amendment, application or interpretation becomes effective on or after the date of the final offering document for the relevant series of Securities, the Company is, or on the next interest payment date would be, required to pay any Additional Amounts to holders of the Securities which obligation cannot be avoided by measures reasonably available to the Company; provided that, no such notice of redemption may be given earlier than 90 days prior to the earliest date on which the Company would be obligated to make such payment of Additional Amounts if a payment in respect of the Securities were then due. Prior to the mailing to holders of Securities of any notice of redemption of the Securities pursuant to this Section 11.02 and Section 11.03, the Company shall certify to the Trustee that the requirements have been met and deliver therewith to the Trustee an opinion of an independent tax counsel or tax consultant of recognized standing, such opinion to be reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee to the effect that the circumstances referred to above exist. The Trustee shall accept such certificate and opinion as sufficient evidence of the satisfaction of the conditions precedent described above, in which event it shall be conclusive and binding on the Securityholders.

Section 11.03. Notice of Redemption. Notice of redemption to the Holders of Securities of any series to be redeemed as a whole or in part at the option of the Company shall be given by mailing notice of such redemption by first-class mail, postage prepaid, at not less than 30 days and not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption to such Holders of Securities of such series at their last addresses as they shall appear upon the Register. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the Holder receives the notice. Failure to give notice by mail, or any defect in the notice to the Holder of any Security of a series designated for redemption as a whole or in part shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Security of such series.

 

53


The notice of redemption to each such Holder shall specify the principal amount and CUSIP or ISIN number (if any) of each Security of such series held by such Holder to be redeemed, the date fixed for redemption, the redemption price, the place or places of payment, that payment will be made upon presentation and surrender of such Securities, that interest accrued to the date fixed for redemption will be paid as specified in such notice and that on and after said date interest thereon or on the portions thereof to be redeemed will cease to accrue. In case any Security of a series is to be redeemed in part only the notice of redemption shall state the portion of the principal amount thereof to be redeemed and shall state that on and after the date fixed for redemption, upon surrender of such Security, a new Security or Securities of such series in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof will be issued.

The notice of redemption of Securities of any series to be redeemed at the option of the Company shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.

On or before the redemption date specified in the notice of redemption given as provided in this Section (and in any event no later than 10:00 a.m., New York time, on the due date for payment), the Company will deposit with the Trustee or with one or more Paying Agents (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, set aside, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 3.04) an amount of money or other property sufficient to redeem on the redemption date all the Securities of such series so called for redemption at the appropriate redemption price, together with accrued interest to the date fixed for redemption and any Additional Amounts. If less than all the outstanding Securities of a series are to be redeemed, the Company will deliver to the Trustee at least 70 days prior to the date fixed for redemption an Officer’s Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Securities to be redeemed.

If less than all of the Securities of a series are to be redeemed, the Securities for redemption will be selected as follows: (i) if the Securities are listed on any securities exchange, in compliance with the requirements of the principal securities exchange on which the Securities are then traded or if the Securities are held through the clearing systems, in compliance with the requirements of the applicable clearing systems; or (ii) if the Securities are not listed on any securities exchange, on a pro rata basis, by lot or by such other method as the Trustee deems fair and appropriate, unless otherwise required by law. For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities of any series shall relate, in the case of any Security redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal amount of such Security which has been or is to be redeemed.

Section 11.04. Payment of Securities Called for Redemption. If notice of redemption has been given as above provided, the Securities or portions of Securities specified in such notice shall become due and payable on the date and at the place stated in such notice at the applicable redemption price, together with interest accrued to the date fixed for redemption, and on and after said date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of such Securities at the redemption price, together with interest accrued to said date) interest on the Securities or portions of Securities so called for redemption shall cease to accrue and, except as provided in Section 5.05 and Section 9.03, such Securities shall cease from and after the date fixed for redemption to be entitled to any benefit or security under this Indenture, and the Holders thereof shall have no right in respect of such Securities except the right to receive the redemption price thereof and unpaid interest to the date fixed for redemption. On presentation and surrender of such Securities at a place of payment specified in said notice, said Securities or the specified portions thereof shall be paid and redeemed by the Company at the applicable redemption price, together with interest accrued thereon to the date fixed for redemption; provided that any semiannual payment of interest becoming due on the date fixed for redemption shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities registered as such on the relevant record date subject to the terms and provisions of Sections 2.03 and 2.04 hereof.

 

54


If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal shall, until paid or duly provided for, bear interest from the date fixed for redemption at the rate of interest or Yield to Maturity (in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security) borne by such Security.

Upon presentation of any Security redeemed in part only, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to or on the order of the Holder thereof, at the expense of the Company, a new Security or Securities of such series, of authorized denominations, in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the Security so presented.

Section 11.05. Exclusion of Certain Securities from Eligibility for Selection for Redemption. Securities shall be excluded from eligibility for selection for redemption if they are identified by registration and certificate number in a written statement signed by an authorized officer of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at least 40 days prior to the last date on which notice of redemption may be given as being owned of record and beneficially by, and not pledged or hypothecated by either (a) the Company or (b) an entity specifically identified in such written statement as directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Company.

Section 11.06. Repurchase of Securities. The Company or any subsidiary of the Company may, at any time, subject to the prior confirmation of the FSA (if and to the extent required under the then-applicable Japanese banking laws or regulations), purchase any or all of the Securities in the open market or otherwise at any price in accordance with applicable law and regulation. Subject to applicable law, neither the Company nor any subsidiary of the Company shall have any obligation to purchase or offer to purchase any Securities held by any Holder as a result of its purchase or offer to purchase Securities held by any other Holder in the open market or otherwise. Any such Notes purchased by the Company or any subsidiary of the Company may, at the discretion of the Company or any relevant subsidiary, be held, resold or surrendered to the paying agent for cancellation by the Company or any such subsidiary, as the case may be. The Notes so purchased, while held by or on behalf of the Company or any such subsidiary, as the case may be, shall not entitle the holder to vote at any meetings of the holders of the relevant series of Notes and shall not be deemed to be Outstanding for the purposes of calculating quorums at meetings of the Holders or for the purposes of Article 4. The provisions of this Section are subject to Section 2.03.

[Signature pages follow]

 

55


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed as of the date first written above.

 

MIZUHO FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
By:  

/s/ Ryosuke Komori

  Name: Ryosuke Komori
 

Title: Senior Vice President of Global

Markets Coordination Department

[Signatures continue on next page]

[Signature page to Senior Indenture]


THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
  as Trustee
By:  

/s/ Chen-Hao Cheng

  Name: Chen-Hao Cheng
  Title: Vice President

[End of Signatures]

[Signature page to Senior Indenture]


EXHIBIT A

FORM OF FIXED RATE SECURITY

INTEREST PAYMENTS ON THIS SECURITY GENERALLY WILL BE SUBJECT TO JAPANESE WITHHOLDING TAX UNLESS IT IS ESTABLISHED THAT THIS SECURITY IS HELD BY OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A BENEFICIAL OWNER THAT IS (I) FOR JAPANESE TAX PURPOSES, NEITHER AN INDIVIDUAL RESIDENT OF JAPAN OR A JAPANESE CORPORATION, NOR AN INDIVIDUAL NON-RESIDENT OF JAPAN OR A NON-JAPANESE CORPORATION THAT IN EITHER CASE IS A SPECIALLY-RELATED PERSON OF THE COMPANY, (II) A JAPANESE DESIGNATED FINANCIAL INSTITUTION DESCRIBED IN ARTICLE 6, PARAGRAPH (9) OF THE SPECIAL TAXATION MEASURES ACT WHICH COMPLIES WITH THE REQUIREMENT FOR TAX EXEMPTION UNDER THAT PARAGRAPH OR (III) A PUBLIC CORPORATION, A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION OR A FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS BUSINESS OPERATOR, DESCRIBED IN ARTICLE 3-3, PARAGRAPH (6) OF THE SPECIAL TAXATION MEASURES ACT WHICH COMPLIES WITH THE REQUIREMENT FOR TAX EXEMPTION UNDER THAT PARAGRAPH.

INTEREST PAYMENTS ON THIS SECURITY TO AN INDIVIDUAL RESIDENT OF JAPAN, TO A JAPANESE CORPORATION NOT DESCRIBED IN THE PRECEDING PARAGRAPH, OR TO AN INDIVIDUAL NON-RESIDENT OF JAPAN OR A NON-JAPANESE CORPORATION THAT IN EITHER CASE IS A SPECIALLY-RELATED PERSON OF THE COMPANY WILL BE SUBJECT TO DEDUCTION IN RESPECT OF JAPANESE INCOME TAX AT A RATE OF 15.315% OF THE AMOUNT OF SUCH INTEREST.

 

A-1


MIZUHO FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.

GLOBAL SECURITY

[●]% Senior Notes Due 20[●]

 

No. [●]    CUSIP No.: [●]
   ISIN No.: [●]
   Common Code: [●]
   $                                  [●]

MIZUHO FINANCIAL GROUP, INC., a joint stock company (kabushiki kaisha) organized under the laws of Japan (the “Company”, which term includes any successor corporation), for value received promises to pay to CEDE & CO., or registered assigns, the principal sum of $[●] (the “Principal”) on [●] and to pay interest thereon from [●], 2016 or from the most recent interest payment date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, [semiannually / quarterly] in arrears on [[●], [●], ][●] and [●] in each year (each, an “Interest Payment Date”) commencing [●] at the rate per annum of [●]% until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment, all subject to and in accordance with the terms of the Indenture referred herein.

The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in the Indenture, be paid to the person in whose name this Security is registered as at 5:00 p.m. (New York time) on the fifth Business Day immediately preceding such Interest Payment Date. If and to the extent the Company shall default in the payment of the interest due on such Interest Payment Date, such defaulted interest shall be paid to the person in whose name this Security is registered at the close of business on a subsequent record date, which shall not be less than five Business Days prior to the payment of such defaulted interest, established by notice given by mail by or on behalf of the Company to the Holder of this Security not less than fifteen days preceding such subsequent record date. Interest on this Security will accrue from the date of original issuance or, if interest has already been paid, from the date it was most recently paid. Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months and rounding the resulting figure to the nearest cent (half a cent being rounded upwards). If any payment is due on the Securities on a day that is not a Business Day, payment will be made on the day that is the next succeeding Business Day. Payments postponed to the next Business Day in this situation will be treated under the Indenture as if they were made on the original due date. Postponement of this kind will not result in a default under the Securities or the Indenture, and no interest will accrue on the postponed amount from the original due date to the next succeeding day that is a Business Day. For the purposes of this paragraph, the term “Business Day” means a day which is not a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York or Tokyo are authorized by law or regulation to close.

The principal of, and interest and Additional Amounts on, the Securities will be payable in U.S. dollars. The Company will cause the Trustee, or the paying agent, if any, to pay such amounts, on the dates payment is to be made, directly to The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”).

 

A-2


The Company will pay the Holder hereof Additional Amounts with respect to withholding taxes as are provided for, and subject to the conditions stated, on the reverse of this Security.

The Securities constitute the direct, unconditional, unsubordinated and unsecured obligations of the Company and shall at all times rank pari passu and without preference among themselves and with all other unsecured obligations, other than subordinated obligations, of the Company (except for statutorily preferred exceptions) from time to time outstanding. The Securities are not redeemable prior to maturity, except as set forth on the reverse of this Security and will not be subject to any sinking fund.

Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Security set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been manually executed by or on behalf of the Trustee under the Indenture, this Security shall not be entitled to any benefits under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

 

A-3


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Security to be signed manually or by facsimile by its duly authorized signatory.

 

MIZUHO FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

A-4


Certificate of Authentication

This is one of the series designated herein and referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

Date:                     

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
  as Trustee
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

A-5


REVERSE OF SECURITY

MIZUHO FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.

[●]% Senior Notes Due 20[●]

This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of unsecured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness of Mizuho Financial Group, Inc., a joint stock company organized under the laws of Japan (herein called the “Company”, which term includes any successor person under the Indenture hereinafter referred) designated as its [●]% Senior Notes due [●], 20[●] (herein called the “Securities”), issued under and pursuant to an Indenture dated as of [●], 2016 (hereinafter called the “Indenture”), between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (herein called the “Trustee”, which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), to which Indenture and any other indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Trustee and any agent of the Trustee, any paying agent, the Company and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are issued and are to be authenticated and delivered.

This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof. By the terms of the Indenture, additional Securities of this series and of other separate series, which may vary as to denomination, date, amount, stated maturity (if any), interest rate or method of calculating the interest rate and in other respects as therein provided, may be issued in an unlimited amount.

The principal of and interest (and any Additional Amounts) on the Securities shall be payable in U.S. Dollars or in such other coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for the payment of public and private debts. So long as any of the Securities are held in global form, payments of principal and interest on such Securities shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds in U.S. Dollars to a bank account in The City of New York designated by the Holder of this Registered Global Security. Otherwise, (i) the principal amount of the Securities will be payable by check, drawn on a bank in The City of New York, upon the presentation and surrender of the Securities at the Specified Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or at any office or agency maintained by the Company for such purpose and (ii) interest on the Securities will be payable by wire transfer or check, drawn on a bank in The City of New York, mailed to the persons in whose names the Securities are registered as of 5:00 p.m. (New York time) on the fifth Business Day immediately preceding the applicable Interest Payment Date (or the subsequent record date in the case of a defaulted interest payment) at the addresses of such persons as shall appear in the Security register of the Company; provided, however, that at the option of a Holder in whose name at least $10,000,000 principal amount of Securities are registered, all payments in respect of the Securities may be received by electronic funds transfer of immediately available funds to a U.S. dollar account maintained by the payee, provided such registered Holder so elects by giving written notice to the Trustee designating such account, no later than fifteen days immediately preceding the relevant date for payment (or such other date as the Trustee may accept in its discretion).

 

A-6


All payments of principal and interest in respect of the Securities by the Company shall be made without withholding or deduction for, or on account of, any present or future taxes, duties, assessments, levies or governmental charges of whatever nature imposed or levied by or on behalf of Japan, or any political sub-division of, or any authority in, or of, Japan having power to tax (“Japanese Taxes”), unless such withholding or deduction is required by law. In that event, the Company shall pay to the holder of each Security such additional amounts (all such amounts being referred to herein as “Additional Amounts”) as may be necessary so that the net amounts received by it after such withholding or deduction shall equal the respective amounts which would have been receivable in respect of such Security in the absence of such withholding or deduction, provided that, no such Additional Amounts shall be payable in relation to any such withholding or deduction in respect of any payment on the Securities:

(a) to or on behalf of a Securityholder or beneficial owner of a Security who is an individual non-resident of Japan or a non-Japanese corporation and is liable for such Japanese Taxes in respect of such Security by reason of its (1) having some connection with Japan other than the mere holding of such Security, or (2) being a person having a special relationship with the Company as described in Article 6, Paragraph 4 of the Act on Special Measures Concerning Taxation of Japan (Act No. 26 of 1957) (the “Special Taxation Measures Act”) (a “Specially-Related Person of the Company”); or

(b) to or on behalf of a Securityholder or beneficial owner of a Security (A) who would be exempt from any such withholding or deduction but who fails to comply with any applicable requirement to provide certification, information, documents or other evidence concerning its nationality, residence, identity or connection with Japan, including any requirement to provide Interest Recipient Information (as defined below) or to submit a Written Application for Tax Exemption (as defined below) to the Company or a Paying Agent, as appropriate, or (B) whose Interest Recipient Information is not duly communicated through the Participant (as defined below) and the relevant International Clearing Organization to a Paying Agent; or

(c) to or on behalf of a Securityholder or beneficial owner of a Security who is for Japanese tax purposes treated as an individual resident of Japan or a Japanese corporation (except for (A) a Designated Financial Institution (as defined below) who complies with the requirement to provide Interest Recipient Information or to submit a Written Application for Tax Exemption and (B) an individual resident of Japan or a Japanese corporation who duly notifies (directly or through the Participant or otherwise) a Paying Agent of its status as not being subject to Japanese Taxes to be withheld or deducted by the Company, by reason of such individual resident of Japan or Japanese corporation receiving interest on the relevant Security through a payment handling agent in Japan appointed by it); or

(d) to or on behalf of a Securityholder or beneficial owner of a Security who presents a Security for payment (where presentation is required) more than 30 days after the Relevant Date (as defined below), except to the extent that such Securityholder or beneficial owner of a Security would have been entitled to such Additional Amounts on presenting the same for payment on any date during such 30-day period; or

 

A-7


(e) to or on behalf of a Securityholder who is a fiduciary or partnership or is not the sole beneficial owner of the payment of the principal of, or any interest on, any Security, and Japanese law requires the payment to be included for tax purposes in the income of a beneficiary or settlor with respect to such fiduciary or a member of such partnership or a beneficial owner, in each case, who would not have been entitled to such Additional Amounts had it been the holder of such Security; or

(f) any combination of (a) through (e) above.

Where a Security is held through a participant of a Clearing Organization or a financial intermediary (each, a “Participant”), in order to receive payments free of withholding or deduction by the Company for, or on account of, Japanese Taxes, if the relevant beneficial owner of a Security is (1) an individual non-resident of Japan or a non-Japanese corporation that in either case is not a Specially-Related Person of the Company or (2) a Japanese financial institution (a “Designated Financial Institution”) falling under certain categories prescribed by Article 6, Paragraph 9 of the Special Taxation Measures Act and the cabinet order thereunder (Cabinet Order No. 43 of 1957), as amended (together with the ministerial ordinance and other regulations thereunder, the “Act”), all in accordance with the Act, such beneficial owner of a Security must, at the time of entrusting a Participant with the custody of the relevant Security, provide certain information prescribed by the Act to enable the Participant to establish that such beneficial owner of a Security is exempted from the requirement for Japanese Taxes to be withheld or deducted (the “Interest Recipient Information”), and advise the Participant if such beneficial owner of a Security ceases to be so exempted including the case where the relevant beneficial owner of the Security who is an individual non-resident of Japan or a non-Japanese corporation becomes a Specially-Related Person of the Company.

Where a Security is not held by a Participant, in order to receive payments free of withholding or deduction by the Company for, or on account of, Japanese Taxes, if the relevant beneficial owner of a Security is (i) an individual non-resident of Japan or a non-Japanese corporation that in either case is not a Specially-Related Person of the Company or (ii) a Designated Financial Institution, all in accordance with the Act, such beneficial owner of a Security must, prior to each date on which it receives interest, submit to the Company or a Paying Agent, as appropriate, a written application for tax exemption (hikazei tekiyo shinkokusho) (a “Written Application for Tax Exemption”) in the form obtainable from the Company or any Paying Agent, as appropriate, stating, among other things, the name and address (and, if applicable, the Japanese individual or corporation ID number) of such beneficial owner of a Security, the title of the Securities, the relevant interest payment date, the amount of interest payable and the fact that such beneficial owner of a Security is qualified to submit the Written Application for Tax Exemption, together with documentary evidence regarding its identity and residence.

 

A-8


As used herein, the “Relevant Date” means the date on which any payment in respect of a Security first becomes due, except that, if the full amount of the moneys payable has not been duly received by the Paying Agent on or prior to such due date, it means the date on which, the full amount of such moneys having been so received, notice to that effect is duly given to the Securityholders in accordance with this Indenture.

The obligation to pay Additional Amounts shall not apply to (i) any estate, inheritance, gift, excise, sales, transfer, personal property or any similar tax, assessment or other governmental charge or (ii) any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that is payable otherwise than by deduction or withholding from payments of principal or interest on the Securities; provided that, except as otherwise set forth in the Securities and this Indenture, the Company shall pay all stamp and other duties, if any, which may be imposed by Japan, the United States or any respective political sub-division or any taxing authority thereof or therein, with respect to this Indenture or as a consequence of the issuance of the Securities.

No Additional Amounts will be payable for or on account of any deduction or withholding imposed pursuant to Sections 1471-1474 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, the U.S. Treasury regulations thereunder and any other official guidance thereunder (“FATCA”), any intergovernmental agreement entered into with respect to FATCA, or any law, regulation or other official guidance enacted in any jurisdiction implementing, or relating to, FATCA, similar legislation under the laws of any other jurisdiction, or any such intergovernmental agreement.

The Securities may, subject to the prior confirmation of the Financial Services Agency of Japan (if and to the extent required under the then-applicable Japanese banking laws or regulations), be redeemed at the option of the Company in whole, but not in part, at any time, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior notice thereof given by the Company, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Securities then outstanding (together with accrued and unpaid interest to (but excluding) the date fixed for redemption and Additional Amounts, if any), if, as a result of any change in, or amendment to, the laws (or any regulations or rulings promulgated thereunder) of Japan (or any political sub-division or taxing authority in or of Japan) affecting taxation, or any change in the official position regarding the application or interpretation of such laws, regulations or rulings (including a holding, judgment, or order by a court of competent jurisdiction), which change, amendment, application or interpretation becomes effective on or after [●], 20[●], the Company is, or on the next interest payment date would be, required to pay any Additional Amounts to holders of the Securities which obligations cannot be avoided by measures reasonably available to the Company; provided that, no such notice of redemption may be given earlier than 90 days prior to the earliest date on which the Company would be obligated to make such payment of Additional Amounts if a payment in respect of the Securities were then due. Prior to the mailing to holders of Securities of any notice of redemption of the Securities, the Company shall certify to the Trustee that the requirements have been met and deliver therewith to the Trustee an opinion of an independent tax counsel or tax consultant of recognized standing, such opinion to be reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee to the effect that the circumstances referred to above exist. The Trustee shall be entitled to accept such certificate and opinion as sufficient evidence of the satisfaction of the conditions precedent described above, in which event it shall be conclusive and binding on the Securityholders.

 

A-9


A Holder of Securities issued in definitive form may transfer or exchange Securities in accordance with the Indenture. As described in the legend on the face of this Registered Global Security, interest payments on such Securities issued in definitive form will be subject to Japanese income taxation unless the Holder establishes the matters set forth therein. Such legend concerning Japanese taxation shall also be included on the face of any Securities issued in definitive form. The Registrar may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents, and to pay any taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture. The Company will treat the registered Holder of a Security as the owner of that Security for all purposes, except as described above.

The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding of all series to be affected (voting as a class). The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of specified percentages in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of each series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable, upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and interest on this Security are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the security registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing and thereupon one or more new Securities of this series and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form without coupons in denominations of $200,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series and of like tenor of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

 

A-10


No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange; provided, however, the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection therewith.

Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may deem and treat the person in whose name this Security is registered upon the Security register as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and interest on this Security at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.

This Security shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

All capitalized terms used and not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

The Company has initially appointed The Bank of New York Mellon, as paying agent, transfer agent and registrar with respect to the Securities.

PAYING AGENT AND REGISTRAR

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

New York, NY 10286

Fax: +1 212 815 5915

 

A-11


EXHIBIT B

FORM OF FLOATING RATE SECURITY

INTEREST PAYMENTS ON THIS SECURITY GENERALLY WILL BE SUBJECT TO JAPANESE WITHHOLDING TAX UNLESS IT IS ESTABLISHED THAT THIS SECURITY IS HELD BY OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A BENEFICIAL OWNER THAT IS (I) FOR JAPANESE TAX PURPOSES, NEITHER AN INDIVIDUAL RESIDENT OF JAPAN OR A JAPANESE CORPORATION, NOR AN INDIVIDUAL NON-RESIDENT OF JAPAN OR A NON-JAPANESE CORPORATION THAT IN EITHER CASE IS A SPECIALLY-RELATED PERSON OF THE COMPANY, (II) A JAPANESE DESIGNATED FINANCIAL INSTITUTION DESCRIBED IN ARTICLE 6, PARAGRAPH (9) OF THE SPECIAL TAXATION MEASURES ACT WHICH COMPLIES WITH THE REQUIREMENT FOR TAX EXEMPTION UNDER THAT PARAGRAPH OR (III) A PUBLIC CORPORATION, A FINANCIAL INSTITUTION OR A FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS BUSINESS OPERATOR DESCRIBED IN ARTICLE 3-3, PARAGRAPH (6) OF THE SPECIAL TAXATION MEASURES ACT WHICH COMPLIES WITH THE REQUIREMENT FOR TAX EXEMPTION UNDER THAT PARAGRAPH.

INTEREST PAYMENTS ON THIS SECURITY TO AN INDIVIDUAL RESIDENT OF JAPAN, TO A JAPANESE CORPORATION NOT DESCRIBED IN THE PRECEDING PARAGRAPH, OR TO AN INDIVIDUAL NON-RESIDENT OF JAPAN OR A NON-JAPANESE CORPORATION THAT IN EITHER CASE IS A SPECIALLY-RELATED PERSON OF THE COMPANY WILL BE SUBJECT TO DEDUCTION IN RESPECT OF JAPANESE INCOME TAX AT A RATE OF 15.315% OF THE AMOUNT OF SUCH INTEREST.

 

B-1


MIZUHO FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.

GLOBAL SECURITY

Senior Floating Rate Notes Due 20[●]

No. [●]

CUSIP No.: [●]

ISIN No.: [●]

Common Code: [●]

$                                  [●]

MIZUHO FINANCIAL GROUP, INC., a joint stock company (kabushiki kaisha) organized under the laws of Japan (the “Company”, which term includes any successor corporation), for value received promises to pay to CEDE & CO., or registered assigns, the principal sum of $[●] (the “Principal”) on [●], 20[●] and to pay interest thereon from [●], 2016 or from the most recent interest payment date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, [semiannually / quarterly] in arrears on [[●], [●],] [●] and [●] in each year (each, an “Interest Payment Date”) commencing [●] at the Floating Interest Rate (as defined on the reverse of this Security) until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment, all subject to and in accordance with the terms of the Indenture referred herein.

The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in the Indenture, be paid to the person in whose name this Security is registered as at 5:00 p.m. (New York time) on the fifth Business Day immediately preceding such Interest Payment Date. If and to the extent the Company shall default in the payment of the interest due on such Interest Payment Date, such defaulted interest shall be paid to the person in whose name this Security is registered at the close of business on a subsequent record date, which shall not be less than five Business Days prior to the payment of such defaulted interest, established by notice given by mail by or on behalf of the Company to the Holder of this Security not less than fifteen days preceding such subsequent record date. Interest on this Security will accrue from the date of original issuance or, if interest has already been paid, from the date it was most recently paid. If any Interest Payment Date, other than the maturity date or the date fixed for redemption, falls on a day that is not a Business Day, the Interest Payment Date shall be adjusted to be the next succeeding day that is a Business Day, except that if such day is in the next succeeding calendar month, the Interest Payment Date shall be adjusted to be the immediately preceding day that is a Business Day. In the event [●], 20[●] or the date fixed for redemption is not a Business Day, the payment of interest and principal in respect of the Securities shall be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day, and no interest on such payment shall accrue due to such postponement for the period from and after [●], 20[●] or the date fixed for redemption. As used herein, the term “Business Day” means a day which is not a day on which banking institutions in New York or Tokyo are authorized by law or regulation to close.

The principal of, and interest and Additional Amounts on, the Securities will be payable in U.S. dollars. The Company will cause the Trustee, or the paying agent, if any, to pay such amounts, on the dates payment is to be made, directly to The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”).

 

B-2


The Company will pay the Holder hereof Additional Amounts with respect to withholding taxes as are provided for, and subject to the conditions stated, on the reverse of this Security.

This Security is being deposited with DTC acting as depository, and registered in the name of Cede & Co., a nominee of DTC. As Holder of record of this Security, Cede & Co. shall be entitled to receive payments of principal and interest. Payments of principal and interest, including any Additional Amounts, on this Security shall be made in the manner specified on the reverse hereof and, to the extent not inconsistent with the provisions set forth herein, in the Indenture referred herein.

The Securities constitute the direct, unconditional, unsubordinated and unsecured obligations of the Company and shall at all times rank pari passu and without preference among themselves and with all other unsecured obligations, other than subordinated obligations, of the Company (except for statutorily preferred exceptions) from time to time outstanding. The Securities are not redeemable prior to maturity, except as set forth on the reverse of this Security and will not be subject to any sinking fund.

Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Security set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been manually executed by or on behalf of the Trustee under the Indenture, this Security shall not be entitled to any benefits under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

 

B-3


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Security to be signed manually or by facsimile by its duly authorized signatory.

 

MIZUHO FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

B-4


Certificate of Authentication

This is one of the series designated herein and referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

Date:                     

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,
  as Trustee
By:  

 

  Name:
  Title:

 

B-5


REVERSE OF SECURITY

MIZUHO FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.

Senior Floating Rate Notes Due 20[●]

This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of unsecured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness of Mizuho Financial Group, Inc., a joint stock company organized under the laws of Japan (herein called the “Company”, which term includes any successor person under the Indenture hereinafter referred) designated as its Senior Floating Rate Notes due [●], 20[●] (herein called the “Securities”), issued under and pursuant to an Indenture dated as of [●], 2016 (hereinafter called the “Indenture”), between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (herein called the “Trustee”, which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), to which Indenture and any other indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Trustee and any agent of the Trustee, any paying agent, the Company and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are issued and are to be authenticated and delivered.

This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof. By the terms of the Indenture, additional Securities of this series and of other separate series, which may vary as to denomination, date, amount, stated maturity (if any), interest rate or method of calculating the interest rate and in other respects as therein provided, may be issued in an unlimited amount.

The Floating Interest Rate (as defined below) for each Interest Period in respect of the Securities will be determined by the Calculation Agent (as defined below) on the following basis:

 

  (i) The Bank of New York Mellon, as calculation agent (in such capacity together with any successor, the “Calculation Agent”) will determine the rate for deposits in U.S. dollars for a period equal or comparable to the relevant Interest Period which appears on the display page designated LIBOR01 on the Reuters service (or any successor or such other page or service as may replace it for the purpose of displaying comparable rates to London interbank offered rates of major banks for U.S. dollar deposits) as of 11:00 a.m., London time, on the second London Banking Day before the first day of the relevant Interest Period (the “Interest Determination Date”). “London Banking Day” as used in this paragraph means a day on which commercial banks are open for business, including dealings in foreign exchange and foreign currency deposits, in London.

 

B-6


  (ii) If such rate does not appear on that page, the Calculation Agent will:

 

  (A) Request the principal London office of each of four major banks selected by the Calculation Agent in the London interbank market to provide a quotation of the rate at which deposits in U.S. dollars are offered by it at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, on the Interest Determination Date to prime banks in the London interbank market for a period equal or comparable to the relevant Interest Period and in an amount that is representative for a single transaction in that market at that time; and

 

  (B) Determine the arithmetic mean (rounded, if necessary, to the nearest one hundred-thousandth of a percentage point, 0.000005 being rounded upwards) of such quotations, if at least two such quotations are provided as requested.

 

  (iii) If fewer than two such quotations are provided as requested, the Calculation Agent will determine the arithmetic mean (rounded, if necessary as aforesaid) of the rates quoted by at least two major banks in The City of New York, selected by the Calculation Agent, at approximately 11:00 a.m., New York time, on the first day of the relevant Interest Period for loans in U.S. dollars to leading European banks for a period equal or comparable to the relevant Interest Period and in an amount that is representative for a single transaction in that market at that time.

The floating interest rate for such Interest Period (the “Floating Interest Rate”) shall be a per annum rate equal to the sum of [●]% and the rate or the arithmetic mean, as the case may be, determined by one of the methodologies set forth in clauses (i) through (iii) above; provided, however, that if the Calculation Agent is unable to determine a rate or an arithmetic mean, as the case may be, in accordance with the above clauses in relation to any Interest Period, the Floating Interest Rate applicable to the Securities during such Interest Period will be a per annum rate equal to the sum of [●]% and the rate or the arithmetic mean, as the case may be, applicable in relation to the Securities in respect of the immediately preceding Interest Period.

As used herein, “Interest Period” means each period beginning on (and including) an Interest Payment Date (after any adjustments to make such date a Business Day) and ending on (but excluding) the next Interest Payment Date (after any adjustments to make such date a Business Day). For purposes of the first interest payment on [●], 20[●], the Interest Period shall begin on (and include) [●], 20[●]. For purposes of the interest payment on the maturity date or the date fixed for redemption, the Interest Period shall end on (and exclude) [●], 20[●] or the date fixed for redemption.

The Calculation Agent will reset the Floating Interest Rate for each Interest Period on the first day of each Interest Period (each an “Interest Reset Date”). The Floating Interest Rate set on a particular Interest Reset Date will remain in effect during the Interest Period commencing on such Interest Reset Date.

 

B-7


The Calculation Agent will, as soon as practicable after the determination of the Floating Interest Rate for each Interest Period in respect of the Securities, calculate the amount of interest (the “Interest Amount”) payable in respect of such Securities for such Interest Period. The Interest Amount will be calculated by applying the Floating Interest Rate for such Interest Period to the principal amount of such Securities, multiplying the product by the actual number of days in such Interest Period (the “Number of Days”) divided by 360 and rounding the resulting figure to the nearest cent (half a cent being rounded upwards). The Floating Interest Rate will in no event be lower than zero.

All determinations, calculations and quotations made or obtained for the purposes of calculating the Floating Interest Rate and the Interest Amount, whether by the Calculation Agent or the relevant banks in the London interbank market (or any of them) will, in the absence of gross negligence, willful misconduct or manifest error, be binding on the Company, the Calculation Agent, the Paying Agent(s), the Trustee, the relevant banks in the London interbank market and all Holders of the Securities.

The Company will, or will arrange for the Calculation Agent to, make the Floating Interest Rate so determined, the Number of Days, the Interest Amount for each Interest Period in respect of the Securities and the relevant record date and Interest Payment Date available to the Trustee and DTC, or through other reasonable means to make such information available, for publication or notification to the holders of record of the Securities as soon as possible after their determination.

The principal of and interest (and any Additional Amounts) on the Securities shall be payable in U.S. Dollars or in such other coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for the payment of public and private debts. So long as any of the Securities are held in global form, payments of principal and interest on such Securities shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds in U.S. Dollars to a bank account in The City of New York designated by the Holder of this Registered Global Security. Otherwise, (i) the principal amount of the Securities will be payable by check, drawn on a bank in The City of New York, upon the presentation and surrender of the Securities at the Specified Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or at any office or agency maintained by the Company for such purpose and (ii) interest on the Securities will be payable by wire transfer or check, drawn on a bank in The City of New York, mailed to the persons in whose names the Securities are registered as of 5:00 p.m. (New York time) on the fifth Business Day immediately preceding the applicable Interest Payment Date (or the subsequent record date in the case of a defaulted interest payment) at the addresses of such persons as shall appear in the Security register of the Company; provided, however, that at the option of a Holder in whose name at least $10,000,000 principal amount of Securities are registered, all payments in respect of the Securities may be received by electronic funds transfer of immediately available funds to a U.S. dollar account maintained by the payee, provided such registered Holder so elects by giving written notice to the Trustee designating such account, no later than fifteen days immediately preceding the relevant date for payment (or such other date as the Trustee may accept in its discretion).

 

B-8


All payments of principal and interest in respect of the Securities by the Company shall be made without withholding or deduction for, or on account of, any present or future taxes, duties, assessments, levies or governmental charges of whatever nature imposed or levied by or on behalf of Japan, or any political sub-division of, or any authority in, or of, Japan having power to tax (“Japanese Taxes”), unless such withholding or deduction is required by law. In that event, the Company shall pay to the holder of each Security such additional amounts (all such amounts being referred to herein as “Additional Amounts”) as may be necessary so that the net amounts received by it after such withholding or deduction shall equal the respective amounts which would have been receivable in respect of such Security in the absence of such withholding or deduction, provided that, no such Additional Amounts shall be payable in relation to any such withholding or deduction in respect of any payment on the Securities:

(a) to or on behalf of a Securityholder or beneficial owner of a Security who is an individual non-resident of Japan or a non-Japanese corporation and is liable for such Japanese Taxes in respect of such Security by reason of its (1) having some connection with Japan other than the mere holding of such Security, or (2) being a person having a special relationship with the Company as described in Article 6, Paragraph 4 of the Act on Special Measures Concerning Taxation of Japan (Act No. 26 of 1957) (the “Special Taxation Measures Act”) (a “Specially-Related Person of the Company”); or

(b) to or on behalf of a Securityholder or beneficial owner of a Security (A) who would be exempt from any such withholding or deduction but who fails to comply with any applicable requirement to provide certification, information, documents or other evidence concerning its nationality, residence, identity or connection with Japan, including any requirement to provide Interest Recipient Information (as defined below) or to submit a Written Application for Tax Exemption (as defined below) to the Company or a Paying Agent, as appropriate, or (B) whose Interest Recipient Information is not duly communicated through the Participant (as defined below) and the relevant International Clearing Organization to a Paying Agent; or

(c) to or on behalf of a Securityholder or beneficial owner of a Security who is for Japanese tax purposes treated as an individual resident of Japan or a Japanese corporation (except for (A) a Designated Financial Institution (as defined below) who complies with the requirement to provide Interest Recipient Information or to submit a Written Application for Tax Exemption and (B) an individual resident of Japan or a Japanese corporation who duly notifies (directly or through the Participant or otherwise) a Paying Agent of its status as not being subject to Japanese Taxes to be withheld or deducted by the Company, by reason of such individual resident of Japan or Japanese corporation receiving interest on the relevant Security through a payment handling agent in Japan appointed by it); or

(d) to or on behalf of a Securityholder or beneficial owner of a Security who presents a Security for payment (where presentation is required) more than 30 days after the Relevant Date (as defined below), except to the extent that such Securityholder or beneficial owner of a Security would have been entitled to such Additional Amounts on presenting the same for payment on any date during such 30-day period; or

 

B-9


(e) to or on behalf of a Securityholder who is a fiduciary or partnership or is not the sole beneficial owner of the payment of the principal of, or any interest on, any Security, and Japanese law requires the payment to be included for tax purposes in the income of a beneficiary or settlor with respect to such fiduciary or a member of such partnership or a beneficial owner, in each case, who would not have been entitled to such Additional Amounts had it been the holder of such Security; or

(f) any combination of (a) through (e) above.

Where a Security is held through a participant of a Clearing Organization or a financial intermediary (each, a “Participant”), in order to receive payments free of withholding or deduction by the Company for, or on account of, Japanese Taxes, if the relevant beneficial owner of a Security is (1) an individual non-resident of Japan or a non-Japanese corporation that in either case is not a Specially-Related Person of the Company or (2) a Japanese financial institution (a “Designated Financial Institution”) falling under certain categories prescribed by Article 6, Paragraph 9 of the Special Taxation Measures Act and the cabinet order thereunder (Cabinet Order No. 43 of 1957), as amended, (together with the ministerial ordinance and other regulations thereunder, the “Act”) all in accordance with the Act, such beneficial owner of a Security must, at the time of entrusting a Participant with the custody of the relevant Security, provide certain information prescribed by the Act to enable the Participant to establish that such beneficial owner of a Security is exempted from the requirement for Japanese Taxes to be withheld or deducted (the “Interest Recipient Information”), and advise the Participant if such beneficial owner of a Security ceases to be so exempted including the case where the relevant beneficial owner of the Security who is an individual non-resident of Japan or a non-Japanese corporation becomes a Specially-Related Person of the Company.

Where a Security is not held by a Participant, in order to receive payments free of withholding or deduction by the Company for, or on account of, Japanese Taxes, if the relevant beneficial owner of a Security is (i) an individual non-resident of Japan or a non-Japanese corporation that in either case is not a Specially-Related Person of the Company or (ii) a Designated Financial Institution, all in accordance with the Act, such beneficial owner of a Security must, prior to each date on which it receives interest, submit to the Company or a Paying Agent, as appropriate, a written application for tax exemption (hikazei tekiyo shinkokusho) (a “Written Application for Tax Exemption”) in the form obtainable from the Company or any Paying Agent, as appropriate, stating, among other things, the name and address (and, if applicable, the Japanese individual or corporation ID number) of such beneficial owner of a Security, the title of the Securities, the relevant interest payment date, the amount of interest payable and the fact that such beneficial owner of a Security is qualified to submit the Written Application for Tax Exemption, together with documentary evidence regarding its identity and residence.

As used herein, the “Relevant Date” means the date on which any payment in respect of a Security first becomes due, except that, if the full amount of the moneys payable has not been duly received by the Paying Agent on or prior to such due date, it means the date on which, the full amount of such moneys having been so received, notice to that effect is duly given to the Securityholders in accordance with this Indenture.

 

B-10


The obligation to pay Additional Amounts shall not apply to (i) any estate, inheritance, gift, excise, sales, transfer, personal property or any similar tax, assessment or other governmental charge or (ii) any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that is payable otherwise than by deduction or withholding from payments of principal or interest on the Securities; provided that, except as otherwise set forth in the Securities and this Indenture, the Company shall pay all stamp and other duties, if any, which may be imposed by Japan, the United States or any respective political sub-division or any taxing authority thereof or therein, with respect to this Indenture or as a consequence of the issuance of the Securities.

No Additional Amounts will be payable for or on account of any deduction or withholding imposed pursuant to Sections 1471-1474 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, the U.S. Treasury regulations thereunder and any other official guidance thereunder (“FATCA”), any intergovernmental agreement entered into with respect to FATCA, or any law, regulation or other official guidance enacted in any jurisdiction implementing, or relating to, FATCA, similar legislation under the laws of any other jurisdiction, or any such intergovernmental agreement.

The Securities may, subject to the prior confirmation of the Financial Services Agency of Japan (if and to the extent required under the then-applicable Japanese banking laws or regulations), be redeemed at the option of the Company in whole, but not in part, at any time, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior notice thereof given by the Company, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Securities then outstanding (together with accrued and unpaid interest to (but excluding) the date fixed for redemption and Additional Amounts, if any), if, as a result of any change in, or amendment to, the laws (or any regulations or rulings promulgated thereunder) of Japan (or any political sub-division or taxing authority in or of Japan) affecting taxation, or any change in the official position regarding the application or interpretation of such laws, regulations or rulings (including a holding, judgment, or order by a court of competent jurisdiction), which change, amendment, application or interpretation becomes effective on or after [●], 20[●], the Company is, or on the next interest payment date would be, required to pay any Additional Amounts to holders of the Securities which obligations cannot be avoided by measures reasonably available to the Company; provided that, no such notice of redemption may be given earlier than 90 days prior to the earliest date on which the Company would be obligated to make such payment of Additional Amounts if a payment in respect of the Securities were then due. Prior to the mailing to holders of Securities of any notice of redemption of the Securities, the Company shall certify to the Trustee that the requirements have been met and deliver therewith to the Trustee an opinion of an independent tax counsel or tax consultant of recognized standing, such opinion to be reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee to the effect that the circumstances referred to above exist. The Trustee shall be entitled to accept such certificate and opinion as sufficient evidence of the satisfaction of the conditions precedent described above, in which event it shall be conclusive and binding on the Securityholders.

 

B-11


A Holder of Securities issued in definitive form may transfer or exchange Securities in accordance with the Indenture. As described in the legend on the face of this Registered Global Security, interest payments on such Securities issued in definitive form will be subject to Japanese income taxation unless the Holder establishes the matters set forth therein. Such legend concerning Japanese taxation shall also be included on the face of any Securities issued in definitive form. The Registrar may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents, and to pay any taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture. The Company will treat the registered Holder of a Security as the owner of that Security for all purposes, except as described above.

The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding of all series to be affected (voting as a class). The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of specified percentages in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of each series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable, upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and interest on this Security are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the security registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing and thereupon one or more new Securities of this series and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form without coupons in denominations of $200,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series and of like tenor of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange; provided, however, the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection therewith.

 

B-12


Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may deem and treat the person in whose name this Security is registered upon the Security register as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and interest on this Security at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.

This Security shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

All capitalized terms used and not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

The Company has initially appointed The Bank of New York Mellon, as paying agent, transfer agent, registrar and calculation agent with respect to the Securities.

PAYING AGENT,

REGISTRAR AND CALCULATION AGENT

The Bank of New York Mellon

101 Barclay Street

New York, NY 10286

Fax: +1 212 815 5915

 

B-13


EXHIBIT C

FORM OF OFFICER’S CERTIFICATE OF MIZUHO FINANCIAL GROUP, INC.

PURSUANT TO SECTION 3.06

Date: [●]

Pursuant to Section 3.06 of the Indenture dated as of [●] (the “Indenture”), between Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. (the “Company”) and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, relating to the issuance of $[●] aggregate principal amount of [[●]%] senior [floating rate] notes due 20[●] (the “Securities”), I hereby certify, in my capacity as a Responsible Officer of the Company (as defined in the Indenture), that:

As of the date hereof, the Company [is in compliance with all conditions and covenants on its part under the Indenture.][is not in compliance with all conditions and covenants under the Indenture, details of each such default and the nature and status thereof specified below: [●]]

[Signature page follows]

 

C-1


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this compliance certificate as of the date set forth above.

 

By:  

 

  Name:   [●]
  Title:   [●]

 

C-2